Winter – and Summer 

Thanks for the support: Kate Rees-Gibbs with her former pupil Summer Mudford, who had just finished a hot chocolate, after the 5km run/walk. 

The Cambridge primary school teacher who was one of the first people to see a change in Batten Disease sufferer Summer Mudford, participated in a 5km awareness run in appalling winter weather conditions on Saturday.

Kate Rees-Gibbs received a warm welcome and a hug from eight-year-old Summer at the finish line near the Velodrome.

Not far behind her was Summer’s mother Vanessa.

The News revealed last week that Summer is the only child in New Zealand with her type of Batten Disease, a fatal inherited disorder of the nervous system.

The Mudfords embarked on a three-day awareness campaign of the disease kicking it off on International Batten Disease Day, Thursday June 9.

Despite driving rain and wind, about 20 people took part in the awareness run.

A givealittle page called Hope for Summer, which hopes to raise money to go towards supplements and medicines, had raised $940 by the end of the weekend.

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