Uncle's death from rare brain disease motivates Leighton Buzzard man to take on Three Peaks Challenge

A Leighton Buzzard man is training to climb the Three Peaks this summer to raise awareness of a rare brain disease called Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD) following the death of his uncle.

Ed Warth will begin his 24-hour climbing challenge at 8am on August 10, and will climb the UK’s three tallest mountains - Ben Nevis (Scotland), Scaffel Pike (England) and Snowdon (Wales).

Covering a total distance of 37km and an accent of 10,052ft, Ed is taking on the challenge for UK charity PSPA, in honour of his uncle, Victor Yorke, who passed away from CBD in November 2020.

CBD is a rare, degenerative brain disease which causes brain cells to become damaged and die over time, this leads to difficulties with movement, speech, memory and swallowing. Unfortunately, there is no single test for CBD, nor is there a treatment or a cure.

As an additional challenge, Ed is also committing to walk or run 100 miles each month, for the whole of 2021, and as he trains for his Three Peak climb.

Ed said of his challenge: “I decided to do a fundraiser for PSPA in memory of my uncle who sadly passed away at the end of last year, from CBD after being diagnosed eight years ago.

"This is such a rare condition, it is often misdiagnosed as very little is known about it. Unfortunately, there is no cure either and so I want to do my bit to raise awareness, as well as much needed funds for PSPA for research and development of a cure.

“I chose the Three Peaks challenge as I wanted to do something that will take me out of my comfort zone and really push me. I have done a few walks in the Lake District but nothing like this, and certainly not with no sleep, so this will definitely be a challenge.”

So far Ed has raised £2,192 for PSPA, which has a head office in Milton Keynes, through sponsorship. Ed also enjoys amateur photography and to help his fundraising effort, has decided to sell some of his photos as artwork and gifts online at http://edwarth.zenfolio.comTo read more about Ed’s challenge, visit his JustGiving page https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ed-warth2 or his Instagram: @edgetsfit2020.