Miles' parents Nataly and Duane are clients of mine at The Pilates Pod, and Duane and I went to school together. I have watched them battle, fight, struggle, cry, break down, and continue every day, to get to the bottom of the constant seizures that have taken over Miles' life.

His is diagnosed with Lissencephaly. A typical scan of a human’s brain will reveal many complicated wrinkles, folds, and grooves. This is how the body packs a large amount of brain tissue into a small space. The brain starts to fold during fetal development. But some babies brains don’t fold properly and remain smooth. This condition can affect a baby’s neural function and symptoms can be severe.

Lissencephaly can’t be reversed. Treatment aims to support and comfort. Children like Miles may need help swallowing, they may need surgery to shunt fluid away from the brain, they may suffer with many seizures and they may fail to develop mentally beyond a three- to five-months old function.

One day, Duane came into my studio, The Pilates Pod to book Nataly back into some well needed Pilates sessions for her own body, her own respite, her own mental wellbeing. Duane broke down with worry for Miles, for Nataly, for them all.

The next day, Miles was transferred from Lister Hospital to GOSH (Great Ormond Street) as his condition worsened. Parents Nataly and Duane's approach with Miles has always been "to try everything, something has to work."

So I knew I needed to help in any way I could. Because they are my clients, my friends, because I am a mum, because it's Christmas, because we have had two years of realising through the pandemic that health is everything and helping others is the most important you can do.

The Pilates Pod are running a very special charity Xmas Eve Class - Matwork for Miles. 9.30-10.30am on 24th December. You can join in at the studio, or online. Find out more here. We will using Just Giving throughout December to raise awareness of Lissencephaly and help fundraise to reach our target of £1,000 for the family to help Miles with his therapy, time out together, equipment and just making memories.

Thank you for reading. Please dig deep! x