Family Housing Staff Tackle Three Peaks Challenge for Staff Member’s Son

Thirteen members of staff at Swansea’s Family Housing Association (FHA) are taking on the Three Peaks Challenge to raise money for Action Duchenne, a charity that aims to find a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

A cause close to the hearts of many of the staff at FHA, Action Duchenne is a charity aiming to eradicate Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, something that FHA employee, Lisa Davies’ son Cameron, has been battling for sixteen years.

Cameron was diagnosed with Duchenne at just eight weeks old and his mother Lisa was warned by doctors he was unlikely to reach his teens. Now sixteen years old, Cameron, who is a die-hard Swansea City fan, has continued to defy the odds and is about to undertake his GCSE’s at St Joseph’s Catholic School in Port Talbot.

Lisa comments: “FHA has been on this journey with me since diagnosis and I will be eternally grateful for the amazing support they have offered me through all of the hard times. Work has been like a sanctuary for me at times and has given me a real purpose with all of the fantastic work that the organisation does.”

The staff members will aim to scale Snowdon, Cadair Idris and Pen y Fan all within 24 hours to raise money for Action Duchenne. So far the team has managed to raise £415 and are looking to improve on this by the time they complete their challenge.

Karen Dusgate, Chief Executive of FHA said: “The nature of our jobs is to support others so when the idea to do the Three Peaks Challenge was mentioned, we weren’t short of volunteers.

A number of us attempted the challenge a couple of years ago but due to an unfortunate incident including a broken down bus, the challenge remained regrettably incomplete.

We’re immensely proud of the FHA team that has committed again to climb the Three Peaks. I know they have trained together on weekends for the climb, which has developed a strong sense of camaraderie amongst the team.  We wish them the best of luck – I have every faith they will complete the challenge ahead.”

Lisa has always lived in fear of how long she will get to spend with her son, but thanks to medical research the work that charities like Action Duchenne are doing, she recognises that there is reason for optimism.

Lisa added: “Cameron visits Great Ormond Street Hospital for regular heart check ups and physiotherapy and he had spinal surgery there last year. Thanks to the amazing research at places like Great Ormond Street and the money being raised by charities like Action Duchenne, hopefully treatment will soon be available to children with Duchenne which will allow them to lead independent lives in the future and go on to achieve many of their goals.”

To read more about Cameron’s story and donate to the team undertaking the three peaks challenge, please visit their Just-giving page by clicking here.