Last weekend, Moveit4smiles took on one of the most magnificent mountains in Britain - Bla Bheinn.

The team walked one of the most spectacular hikes on the Isle of Skye, if not all of Scotland! Our walk was be 8km (5 mile) with an ascent of 990m.

This mammoth task was be taken on in the name of Mouth Cancer Action and to raise awareness of the importance of British children having the HPV vaccine.

Why Mouth Cancer Action

The number of brave people losing their life to mouth cancer is increasing. Latest figures show that within 12 months, more than 2,300 people in the United Kingdom, 23,000 in Europe and 145,000 worldwide, have passed away because of mouth cancer.    

Those been diagnosed has increased by more than a third in the last decade and this is predicted to rise further over the coming years to come.

Mouth cancer is a devastating disease. Those diagnosed can often suffer from problems with breathing, swallowing, drinking and eating. Speech may also be affected, and occasionally even lost. Facial disfigurement can also occur.

This can lead to other problems such as nutritional deficiency, and depression. Difficulties in communication, low self-esteem, social isolation and the impact on relationships can cause as much distress as the cancer itself.

Despite this, awareness of this deadly disease remains dangerously low.

All donations will go towards helping reduce these numbers by making more people aware of the causes, signs and symptoms of mouth cancer so cases can be both prevented and caught early of enough for effective intervention.

Your donation will go directly towards putting oral health information into the places that they are needed such as local pharmacies and doctor’s practices where those who are most at risk are most likely to see it and be influenced by it.

Donations will also help us improve uptake of the HPV vaccination - which could protect around 800,000 people every year.

Thank you for supporting us.

David Arnold