Theres before and then everything that came after. 

I was 19 and just started my Biochemistry course at uni when I fell ill with meningitis. What happened in the following weeks and continuing months I give thanks to the fast and early recognition in those first few hours by my family and ED staff. They saw immediately this wasn’t ‘just a migraine’ and I was thankfully rushed through ED and started tests and treatment. It was a horror and in a way I’m thankful I can’t remember much of those early weeks. The doctors, nurses, physios, lab techs and the entire of the MDT saved my life and that’s something I wish I could pay back. 

The survivor guilt is spoken about often but honestly changed my entire life, the care I received made me rethink my career choices, I changed to a nursing degree and have worked incredibly hard to earn a place in one of the most respected ICU units in the UK at St Thomas’ hospital. From those very first few steps with physios when cleared to start rehab, I wanted more. More steps turned into walks which turned into runs. Faster and further to a point where I now am in my 3rd year of running monthly half Marathons and found more joy in the running community that I could have imagined.

I applied for a place in the 2022 London Marathon for those who didn’t get the chance that I did.

Every single day I am thankful I can walk, talk and work. I’m raising funds for a research charity that not only saved my life but also could save many more. If you had any donation to give no matter how small I would be very grateful!

Has been been triggering to write? 

Absolutely.

But maybe it’s time ❤️