Auntie treks the Inca Trail to aid Down’s Syndrome

Jun 7 2007 by Caroline Innes, Liverpool Daily Post

Auntie treks the Inca Trail to aid Down’s Syndrome

THE auntie of a Down’s Syndrome boy has completed the Inca Trail in Peru, South America, to raise funds for Down’s Syndrome Liverpool.

Ann McGregor, head of drama at Belvedere School, in Princes Park, completed the four-day trek to aid the group that has supported her four-year-old nephew, Zachary.

Mrs McGregor, who lives in Wavertree, was sponsored by pupils and staff at the school and by friends and family.

Down’s Syndrome Liverpool is a registered charity and aims to support parents, carers and families.

It seeks to enhance the lives of people with Down’s Syndrome who live in Liverpool and surrounding area.

Mrs McGregor was with 15 other people on the trail, including her husband who celebrated his 60th birthday at Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Incas.

The sponsored trek was completed in time to mark Down’s Syndrome Awareness Week, which is currently taking place.

The campaign aims to raise awareness of the condition, dispel common myths and allay fears of parents and the public. It is a national initiative pioneered by the Down’s Syndrome Association.

Mrs McGregor said: “Walking down the Inca Trail, through valleys and cloud forests, often looking down on spectacular views, was a truly magical and once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“It was one of the most difficult things I have done in my life – especially because of the lack of oxygen at the high altitude.”

DOWN’S Syndrome Liverpool can be contac- ted via www.down syndromliverpool.org.uk