June 26, 2002

DUMBARTON woman Sarah Clifford hit the West Highland Way recently as part of a fundraising campaign to raise money for her cousin who suffers from autism.

Sarah, of Townend, who works with the Reporter as an Advertising Executive,

completed the 96 mile walk which stretches from Milngavie to Fort William in just five days, along with her brother Gary Clifford and friend Elaine Daly.

And Sarah says she enjoyed the challenge: “It was great, I was really pleased with myself because I never walk, but this was really good fun.”

They managed to raise just over £300 and the money will be used to fund an early intervention programme for her four year-old cousin Luke who lives in Inverness.

The treatment is based on extensive clinical experience and research that in some cases has lead to a dramatic improvement, and in others full recovery from autism.

It involves three years of therapy which involves 30-40 hours per week of one-to-one teaching by trained therapists and the use of positive rewards and praise.

However the treatment is expensive and ongoing and money needs to be raised all the time to ensure Luke keeps receiving the treatment he needs.