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What is the Ten Summits Challenge?

The Ten Summits Challenge (TSC) is a hike up the ten highest summits of Australia over 5 days. The combined height of all ten peaks is 21,788 metres. Although we won't actually ascend that height, it is about 67km in distance we will cover while hiking. On our biggest day we will summit four of the peaks.

We are doing this to raise awareness for Machado-Jospeh Disease (MJD) and people with disabilities. The TSC 2022 is a memorial hike in memory of Julie Hickox, my Mum. Julie and my family lived the challenges of what it is like to progress through the stages of MJD and the impact having a disability has on the way you live. Julie sadly passed away at the age of 54 after a long battle with MJD. Julie saw a small amount of change from the awareness that we raised from the TSC 2018. We want to keep raising awareness in her memory as well as raise funds for the MJD Foundation for research into a cure. MJD is a hereditary condition, my younger sister and myself (Bec) have had genetic testing and both have the MJD gene.

What is MJD?
To put it simply MJD is a progressive disease meaning symptoms get worse over time. MJD is characterized by slowly progressive clumsiness in the arms and legs, a staggering lurching gait that can be mistaken for drunkenness, a lack of muscle control,and difficulty with speech and swallowing. One progresses to being wheelchair bound, unable to do the simple activities of daily living and needing fulltime care.

How you can be part of the change!
1. Help raise awareness

Follow us on social media and like, comment or even share our posts. (This will greatly help us in our mission to raise awareness and create change).

2. Donate and help us raise funds for research into a cure.
Donation ideas:

$1 per summit ($10)
$1 per kilometre hiked ($67)
1 cent per metre of the combined height of the summits ($217.88)

3. Be part of the hike!
Spots are limited so if you would like to participate in the hike please let us know.

Our goal
How did we come up with the goal of $22,000?

The hike will be in 2022, Julie’s birthday was the 22/2, the last day of the hike will be on the 22/2/22. So keeping with the theme of 2, we thought 22,000 would be a great number!

For more information click on the respective tabs in the menu

Our Story, Our Reality

This video was made for the TSC 2018 tocreating awareness for people with disabilities and their families. Often people don't recognise what these people and their families go through, which is understandable as they have not had to deal with anything like this. This is part of my family's story.

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