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On Sunday 13th September I should be running in The Great North Run. Sadly, this year it has been cancelled because of Covid19. I am going to go ahead anyway and run it on my own to raise money for my chosen charity, Vasculitis UK.

Vasculitis is a rare autoimmune disease that causes inflammation of the blood vessels. I had never heard of it until December 2019 when,  after being ill for a few months, I was eventually diagnosed with it.

What causes it is unknown but, basically, the immune system that normally protects us against infection becomes overactive and starts attacking the cells lining the blood vessels, causing damage to vital organs. It's hard to diagnose, but can be controlled with steroids and chemotherapy to stop the progress of the disease and then immunosuppressants to maintain remission. I was lucky that the team at YDH diagnosed and treated my illness in time to prevent more serious damage and I have been able to take up running again, the sport I love. Other sufferers have been less fortunate.

All the money I raise will go to Vasculitis UK.  Vasculitis UK is run entirely on a voluntary basis by people with vasculitis for people with vasculitis. They will use the money for research into the disease, raising awareness of it, and supporting people with it.

I would be very grateful if you would help me raise this money by sponsoring me.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.