A Fife family affected by Huntington’s disease has inspired a former Glenrothes man to run the London Marathon.
Some of Andy Beveridge’s relatives in the region have the progressive brain disorder and his grandmother died from it.
Andy, who now lives in Cambridgeshire, does not carry the faulty gene which causes it but is raising money to help those who do.
He has appealed to Fife businesses to help him by donating raffle prizes and food for a bingo night he is running to generate cash for the Fife branch of Scottish Huntington’s Association.
Huntington’s disease causes uncontrolled movements, emotional problems and loss of thinking ability.
Its onset usually occurs in a person’s 30s or 40s and eventually it causes suffers trouble walking, speaking and swallowing.
Life expectancy from onset is around 10 to 15 years.
Andy said: “We first found out about Huntington’s disease in the family when I was a young teen. My gran had it and died early but in those days it largely went unidentified.”
A test in 2002 confirmed Andy was not at risk of developing it but he added: “Other members of my family haven’t been as fortunate.”
After hand surgery last September Andy’s weight ballooned to 15 stone while he was off work in recovery. When he run for the first time in early February he could only manage a kilometre without stopping.
But on the day of the London Marathon in April he completed a 10k and decided to take the plunge and enter next year’s race.
The very next day the Scottish Huntington’s Association secured a place for him.
The Fife SHA team supports patients and their families right from the early stages after their diagnosis through to the end.
Donations can be made via the Facebook page, Andys London Marathon Fundraiser.
