Story
This one is personal.
A few years ago I started experiencing chest pains. I considered myself fit and healthy — I eat well and exercise four or five times a week — so I put it down to stress and carried on. But something nagged at me, and eventually I went to get checked out.
After a series of tests, the results came back: my cholesterol was over 9. To put that in context, anything above 5 is considered high. I was shocked. No amount of diet or exercise would have brought that number down, because the cause wasn't lifestyle — it was in my DNA.
I was diagnosed with Familial Hypercholesterolaemia, or FH. It's an inherited condition that causes extremely high cholesterol from birth, and most people who have it don't know. If mine had gone undiscovered much longer, I could have been looking at serious heart problems, valve issues, or worse.
I was one of the lucky ones. I found out in time.
That's why I'm running 26.2 miles for HEART UK — the UK's leading cholesterol charity — on 25th April 2027. Because too many people with FH are still out there, going about their lives with a ticking clock they don't even know about. HEART UK funds the awareness campaigns, expert support, and advocacy work that can change that.
Every donation — no matter how small — helps them reach more families before it's too late. I'd be incredibly grateful for your support.
Thank you so much.
Jamie
