Sixteen young adults and their carers spent two adventure-filled days at Calvert Trust Activity Centre near Keswick, in the heart of the Lake District. Glorious autumn sunshine added to the holiday feel as the group engaged in a range of activities including cycling, bushcraft, rock climbing, high ropes, a zip wire and giant indoor swing.
The fun continued into the evenings, with a hotly contested quiz on the Friday and a lively race night on Saturday. A newly refurbished water centre was also available for guests to enjoy, complete with a light and projector system to enhance the aquatic experience.
The Calvert Trust specialises in making outdoor activities accessible to all, and as usual the centre's in-house team went above and beyond to provide expert, friendly support for the mitochondrial disease patients.
Guests were also supported throughout the weekend by Lily staff, complemented by specialists from Newcastle and Oxford NHS Rare Mitochondrial Disorders service. The NHS team included Physiotherapist Jane Newman, Nurse Specialist Alex Bright and Research Nurse Isabel Barrow (all from Newcastle), and Nurse Specialist Sue West from Oxford. Sue was accompanied by her son Isaac, who volunteered to support the young people in their activities.
Lily staff member Janet Wilson commented: "These weekends are the perfect opportunity for young people affected by mitochondrial disease to come together with others living with the condition. They get the opportunity to challenge and support each other in different ways, and quality time to relax and get to know each other better at mealtimes and during the social activities. This is the case not only for the young people with mitochondrial disorders who we support, but also their carers, who are often family members and who also benefit from these weekends."
Guest Danielle, 34, who was recently diagnosed with mitochondrial disease, said: "I enjoyed meeting everyone involved with The Lily Foundation in real life. It was amazing to feel like I finally belong. It still feels very surreal that I have been given the opportunity to attend this event, and it's something I will remember forever."
Valerie Hill, who attended with her daughter Emily, 23, who has mitochondrial disease, said: "For me the best thing about this event is being able to talk with other patients and their families, and people who just 'get it'. Also the activities give you the self confidence to try new things outside of your comfort zone."
A big thank you to everyone who helped make this event possible, and contributed to making the weekend so special.