Just over ten years after braving a skydive in support of Scottish Huntington’s Association, Rhona Beaton decided it was time to take her fundraising to new heights.

So the 38 year old took to the skies again, this time strapped to a 1940s Boeing Stearman biplane as it carried out daredevil manoeuvres including bobbing and weaving, a nosedive from 500 feet and a zoom climb.

Her daredevil wing-walk inspired work colleagues, friends and family who rallied round to raise more than £3000 for the charity.

Rhona, who works as an office administrator in Glasgow, grew up on the Isle of Skye. Her mum May was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease when Rhona was in her early 20s.

“Everyone close to me knows about Huntington’s and its devastating impact on my family but before Mum was diagnosed it wasn’t something I was aware of,” said Rhona.

“Mum’s father, my grandpa, had the disease and my late uncle was diagnosed a couple of years after Mum.

“We were supported by Scottish Huntington’s Association throughout Mum’s illness. When our HD Specialist Gordon came to visit, Mum was always especially interested to hear about research into a treatment or cure. She knew it would come too late for her but she was thinking about the people she loved and other families.

“Mum was a very sociable person who enjoying seeing people but as the disease progressed her movements became more and more jerky. Then towards the end her speaking and eating was increasingly affected and she passed away in 2014.

“The skydive in 2009 was a thank you to Scottish Huntington’s Association for all of its support. I still feel that way today so I looked at the charity’s events calendar and signed up for the wing-walk challenge. I was finally able to go ahead this year after a couple of delays because of the pandemic and bad weather. It was a fantastic experience, made even better by the kindness of my family and friends with their generous donations.”

*Scottish Huntington’s Association is offering a range of fundraising events, from wing-walks to marathons and Kiltwalks.

Visit hdscotland.org/events to find your challenge!”