'I have grown up around Huntington's disease all my life ... My uncle died when I was four or five, I had never met my grandfather John who died in his 60s, and in 2021, we lost my dad under the most cruel circumstances'

Local businessman Mike's fundraising challenge to battle devastating illness

- SALLY HIND

Never forgotten Much-loved Frank Barrett who died from Huntington's

A Renfrewshire dad whose family have been plagued by Huntington’s disease is on a mission to help break the stigma of the “cruel” illness.

Mark Barrett, from Howwood, lost his father - a popular Glasgow bookie - his grandfather and uncle to the disease which is an inherited faulty gene that damages the brain.

The 38-year-old dad-of-two is in the middle of a gruelling attempt to raise awareness - taking on four half-marathons and a triathlon in a matter of weeks - after medics revealed a breakthrough had allowed them to successfully treat the disease for the first time.

Mark, a business owner and actor who has worked alongside stars like Robert Carlyle and James McAvoy, said he wants to help ease the pain of other families after losing dad, Frank, whose Maryhill betting shop featured in Trainspotting and Still Game.

His challenge, covering more 100 kilometres in nine weeks, has also been backed by author Irvine Welsh.

Mark told our sister title, the Daily Record: "I've grown up around Huntington's all my life.

"My uncle Raymond died when I was four or five.

"He was just 33 and in the early 90s it was largely an ignored illness.

"I had never met my grandfather, John, who died in his 60s. But in July 2021, we lost my dad under the most cruel circumstances.

"Not just because of the disease but because it came at a time through covid when we weren't allowed to see him.

"He was taken away from us and we were very limited in our visiting hours and time to spend with him.

"I want to help families affected because I know how crippling and how cruel it can be in all areas of life."

The disease can affect a person’s ability to walk, talk, eat, drink and care for themselves.