Sunday 22^nd August 1999 was the worst day of my life.  Little over 2 weeks before I turned 19 years old, I was rushed to hospital with meningococcal septicemia.  I initially thought it was a hangover from the previous Friday night, which is a typical symptom.  I was given a shot of penicillin that probably saved my life.  The next few days in intensive care are mostly blank apart from a few visits from friends and family.  When I woke up on the Wednesday, and the nurse asked me if I knew what day it was, I told her it was Wednesday and I had my driving test that day.  It turns out the hospital staff had other ideas!  I was released from hospital only 8 days after being taken in.  The main long-term effect has been that my short-term memory can be poor. 

The doctor told me after my recovery, the best thing to do was engage my brain. I did just that and moved away from home and graduated from University in 2007.  I’ve also done some media work for the Meningitis Research Foundation, including a radio commercial in 2008, aimed at new students getting the vaccination.  The photo above is a poster campaign that was used nationwide in Boots stores and local doctors’ practices.  It’s amazing the amount of people I know that have seen this and still occasionally do!

To mark the 15th anniversary of my diagnosis, I've been given the chance to fulfill an ambition and run the London Marathon on Sunday 26th April 2015 for the Meningitis Research Foundation. There was only one charity I was ever going to want to commit to running 26.2 miles for.

I was one of the lucky ones.  By fundraising for the Meningitis Research Foundation and with your kind donations, this will help to continue their great work, which includes:

• Supporting research into the prevention, detection and treatment of the disease and to share the knowledge gained so everyone can benefit
• Supporting those already affected who have lost loved ones or have been left managing disability
• Campaigning to ensure no one suffers from this vaccine preventable disease, taking their cause to people that make decisions about health care
• Promoting knowledge online and in printed campaigns to the public and health professionals

As part of my training and fundraising for the London Marathon, I plan to take part in 15 different challenges or events - one for every year since 1999.  This will start with my very first half marathon in Aviemore on Sunday 12th September.

All of your donations (and ideas for challenges!) are greatly appreciated.  Watch this space over the next few months for more stories and photos!

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

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