Charlotte Emanuel, 12, was diagnosed with Friedreich Ataxia (FA) 12 months ago. The rare disease affects one in every 30,000 people.

On Saturday, March 24 about 40 staff members from St Philip’s Christian College, based at Salamander Bay, walked 33km from Stockton to Birubi Beach to raise awareness about AF.

Posts on social media made in the lead up and during the walk were shared far and wide, and reached thousands.

At the final kilometre the walkers were greeted at Birubi Beach by school families, more staff and other supporters to complete the distance.

The staff battled through blisters and sunburn but were buoyed by the support of the school community and the knowledge that they were helping one of their students, teacher Scott Sinclair said.

“It was beautiful to see Charlotte’s friends join the walkers for the last kilometre,” he said. “An added benefit of this walk was an amazing camaraderie of the staff and the opportunity to show Charlotte’s family that the college community love them and want to support them.”

The walk was the start of an awareness campaign for AF, which will also include a fund-raising ball in Nelson Bay in August.

The Find A Cure Ball will be held at Wests Nelson Bay Diggers on Friday, August 3. The fund-raising evening, with doors opening at 6.30pm, will include dinner, entertainment, a charity raffle and auction.

All money raised on the night will go to the not-for-profit Friedreich Ataxia Research Association. FARA is raising money to support research to help find new treatments and a cure for Friedreich Ataxia.

The also assists with clinics to check on the welfare and to support families of FA patients. Tickets for the ball, available from proticket.com.au, cost $110 per person.

Attendees who would like to choose their seating or have any special requirements are asked to phone Diggers on (02) 4984 8300.

Throughout the month of May FARA is running the Lend Us Some Muscle challenge, which will help it fund clinical gene therapy trials in Australia.