Last week, one of our own, John from J3, was at the heart of something truly special.

John lives with a rare genetic condition called GAND (GATAD2B-associated neurodevelopmental disorder), diagnosed in 2021 when he was just one of around 130 known cases worldwide.

To mark GAND Awareness Day on 16 September, John’s mum Natalie walked 8km – one kilometre for every year of John’s life – to raise awareness and support for Helping Hands for GAND, a charity that connects families, funds research, and brings hope.

John's journey hasn’t been easy – he couldn’t hold his head up until 18 months, and faced delays with crawling, walking, and speaking. But through it all, he’s been full of joy, resilience, and inspiration.

It's not too late to support this cause. You can donate via this link: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/fundraising/john-yakimov