A MAN has set himself the task of climbing three mountains to raise awareness about his mother’s disease.

Ryan Tench, 28, of London Road, Rayleigh, will be climbing three of the Utah Rocky Mountains – Lone Peak, Mount Timpanogos, and the rattlesnake-infested Mount Olympus in aid of the Fibromyalgia Association UK, as his mother, Marion Webster, 56, suffers from the disease.

Fibromyalgia is a neural condition which causes pain all over the body and may also lead to problems with mobility, fatigue, muscle stiffness, difficulty sleeping, problems with memory and concentration, headaches and irritable bowel syndrome.

Although it affects about seven times as many women as men, anyone can develop the disease and it is thought to affect as many as one in 20 people.

Ryan said: “I’m climbing three of the Rocky Mountains in Utah in June.

They’re all about 12,000ft, and I’m going to be videoing the experience with a GoPro and a handheld camera.

“My mum used to be a normal working parent, but then, since she came down with this. She’s not been able to work and I decided to raise awareness of the condition by climbing mountains because, before she got a stairlift, she would be as worn out as if she’d climbed a mountain by the time she walked to the top.

“It’s not a disease you can die of, but sometimes people wish they would because of the pain it can put you through.

“I can’t remember a day when my mum was ‘normal’ because of it.”

Ryan has climbed one of the Rocky Mountains before, Mount Nebo, but said it was much smaller than the three giants he will be tackling on June 13.

He is aiming to raise £500 and is already a quarter of the way there on his JustGiving page.

Anyone wishing to sponsor him can do so at www.just giving.com/ryan-tench/