Support Carys’s Peaks for Parkinsons - Highlands 2 Himalayas

Hi, I’m Carys – a 19 year old uni student from Folkestone in Kent – and this summer holiday I’m taking on a personal challenge I’ve named Peaks for Parkinson’s – Highlands to the Himalayas, raising money for the Cure Parkinson’s Trust in memory of my grandfather, who we called Popsy.

In early May, I’ll be hiking the full West Highland Way – 151 km from the outskirts of Glasgow to the foot of Ben Nevis – and then summiting the UK’s highest mountain.

If I’m lucky enough to receive a grant from my university alumni association, I’ll also spend two weeks in Nepal in August: the first volunteering at the country’s first free, non-violent school, and the second trekking the Poon Hill trail, deep in the Himalayas.

My Popsy had Parkinson’s for over ten years. It took a long time to diagnose, and by the time it was, much of the damage was already done. He was always incredibly open with us about how the disease affected him – how hard it was to lose control of his own body while his mind stayed completely intact. It was heartbreaking to witness. But he faced it with so much honesty and strength. He also never let us forget that there is still no cure.

We lost him just over a year ago this summer, so this challenge is my way of honouring him and doing something – however small – to help fight this disease.

I’ve always loved hiking and being in nature, but I felt choosing to walk long distances for this fundraiser was symbolic – Parkinson’s is a disease that gradually steals a person’s ability to move freely. With every step I take, I’ll be celebrating the freedom of movement that so many of us are lucky to have and take for granted – and walking in honour of those who are slowly losing it.

I’ve chosen places that also mean something to me – Scotland is especially close to my heart. My mum’s from Glasgow, where the WHW trail begins, and my family has roots in the Highlands where it ends. Nepal also has a connection for me – my hometown has a large Nepali Gurkha community, and I’ve grown up around stories of their strength and endurance.

I was originally aiming to raise £500 for Cure Parkinson’s, which is roughly double the number of kilometres I plan to walk. However we’ve smashed this within a few days (a massive thank you to everyone who so kindly donated) so I thought it wrong to stop there! Every penny will go directly to the charity – I’m covering the Scotland trip myself, and I hope to get funding for Nepal through the grant.

I’ll be posting updates throughout my journey – with photos and Strava screenshots – so anyone who donates can follow along and cheer me on from afar.

Thank you so much for reading and supporting. It means more than I can say.

Carys