I am running the Manchester 10km on 20 May 2012 to raise money and awareness for Sleep Apnoea Sufferers like me.  The British Lung Foundation provide fantastic help & support to sufferers, so please donate.

I have Sleep Apnoea and only found out in July 2011, it was a huge shock but at the same time I was relieved as it explained so much. Think I was more upset that I had to stop driving until my treatment was working - it took 3 long months!

My treatment... I sleep plugged into a machine.  I wear a face mask which forces air into my lungs to keep my airways open at night. Without this I would stop breathing until I suddenly gasp (loud snore!) for air.  Before my machine I was stopping breathing 70 times an hour - no wonder I felt so bloody awful!

Those of you who have ever shared a room with me will know how loud I snored!!   I have snored all my life, my whole family will confirm this and I was the brunt of many of joke (thankfully I am pretty thick skinned!).  I feel more for those of you I had to share a rioom with in boarding school - all those years (age 13 to 18) and then a room with Lisa in Uni,  also my cabin mates with Princess Cruises....... you all put up with a lot!!  Sorry about that!

Well I no longer snore (much to Dave's delight!!) and have so much more energy - hence the 10km run!  

Having not done any exercise since I left school 20 years ago I figured it was about time I started, nothing like throwing myself in at the deep end though.

I can't tell you how much better I feel and I know this would not have been possible without the help and support of BLF and my hospital, Salford Royal.  Without them I would never have got used to the horrid face mask and would still be walking round in a zombie like state! 

So please please dig deep, support me and BLF and know the money I raise will be used to help other sufferers.

And if I raise £500 then my work will match it!  How great is that!!!

Thanks for reading this

Helen x

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