Isla Van de Laar:
Packing for an epic adventure
Back to Camino Walk Main Page.
This September, four friends from B.C. will hike the Camino de Santiago, raising awareness about HD along the way. We caught up with them as they prepared for their adventure.
For Isla Van de Laar and her friends, deciding what to pack for an 800-kilometre hike through France and Spain involves plenty of angst. “As ladies, we’re kind of like, are you taking a dress? Are you taking a pair of sunglasses?” says Isla.
However, one item they can all agree on is their “Team HD” buffs. Isla hopes that in addition to keeping the sun off their necks and serving as a handy washcloth in mountain streams, the buffs will pique the curiosity of fellow hikers from around the world, opening up opportunities to share information about Huntington disease.
The idea came when they saw people sporting them at this year’s Run to End Huntington Disease in Vernon, British Columbia. Their friend Ellie Smith — who will be joining them on the Camino — has lost several family members to HD. The buffs seemed like a great way to raise awareness about the cause. “Ellie’s my best friend, so I will support her in anything,” says Isla.
Before the run, Isla attended an information session with HD expert Dr. Sipione, who talked about the huge progress researchers have made towards finding meaningful treatments for HD. “It blew me away,” says Isla. “It really instilled upon us how fundraising has had a huge impact.”
This September, Isla is keen to bring some of that magic to Europe. Just as important, she’s excited about what’s sure to be an incredible journey with her friends. “We’re going to be there for each other, and we’re just going to go and have fun,” she says. “It will be a great adventure.”