Juvenile Dermatomyositis (JDM) is a disease that affects children's skin (dermato) and their muscles (myositis) and also other parts of their bodies including joints, lungs, gut and blood vessels. Treatment for JDM can be quite painful and long term, including lots of medication and intensive physiotherapy. Whilst the disease can go into remission, currently there is no cure.

The condition is very rare, affecting around 3/million/year in the UK, which makes it very difficult to carry out research.

in 2000, a group of leading rheumatologists (specialist consultants) formed the JDM Research Group and began recruiting patients onto the JDM Cohort Biomarker Study and Repository. This cohort is now the largest cohort of JDM patients in the world, and a lot of research has been conducted, however a lot more needs to be done. Due to the rarity of this disease, funding to continue the vital research can be tricky.

Having worked as part of the JDRG team (including specialist doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and scientists) and met the patients and their families that this disease affects, I really wanted to raise some money for this research group. Every little helps.

I know this isn't a marathon, however this is the first 10K that my sister and I have ever done, therefore it is quite a challenge to us!

Please visit the JDRG website for more information www.juveniledermatomyositis.org.uk

Thank you,

Laura and Kate xx