A spirited nine-year-old living with Tourette's syndrome has set a remarkable goal of climbing all 214 Wainwrights alongside his dad - discovering a significant benefit along the way.
Leo Mason, from Allonby, has so far completed 71 out of 214 Wainwrights alongside his dad, Michael Mason.
Beyond the thrill of conquering the peaks, Leo has discovered his involuntary tics have significantly reduced, with Michael recommending an exercise-driven approach to others facing similar challenges.
"His growth has been astounding the last six months," Michael said.
"We're seeing Leo's ticks are almost non-existent now.
"He's gone from his head, feet, and shoulders twitching and some verbal ticks.
"We can only put this down to the research that showed not burning enough energy, stress, and lack of sleep constitutes more tics - so we took him rock climbing and the ticks started to drop, so we decided to take it further," Michael said.
Michael expressed the family's decision to explore alternative methods before resorting to medication.
"I'm not against medication, but it was about finding any avenue to not use it.
"We were offered sedatives that would have changed Leo's personality. My son is full of life—it was not an option," Michael said.
Under the banner of Tickinemoff, Michael and Leo aim to complete the challenge before Leo's eleventh birthday next year, although it's looking like it will be completed well before then.
Ticknemoff has even launched its own merchandising line, and Leo, who aspires to become a professional climber, hopes to spread the message that spending time outdoors can make a significant difference.
Michael Mason, along with his wife Toni, have been homeschooling Leo, tailoring his education to his unique learning style.
"Leo was struggling at school; he's more of a hands-on learner and visual as opposed to sit down and learn.
"With homeschooling, you have to give back to the kids in what they learn.
"Whilst Leo still has math, reading, and writing to learn, we've noticed he is thriving in homeschool—he is really setting himself up for the future," Michael said.
You can follow Leo's journey via the Ticknemoff Facebook page.
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