The thing that's really driven me to run for this charity is that I'm so blessed to have been born with a healthy body and ability to use it as I wish, that I do not want to waste it for a single minute. Some people have been born without that luxury, or something has happened resulting in a life-debilitating condition through no fault of their own. I know that if I lost the ability to run around or even just complete daily life tasks with ease, I'd be incredibly frustrated seeing those with healthy bodies sitting and wasting it. I want to use mine to raise money and help support those who need it.

Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle and affects roughly 1 in 500 people in the UK. There are several types of cardiomyopathy and can occur as a result of genetics, infection, pregnancy or as a result of taking some medications including cancer medications. Cardiomyopathy is the leading cause of sudden death in those under the age of 35; it can cause the heart to suddenly develop an arrhythmia resulting in a cardiac arrest which was the case with footballer- Fabrice Muamba. It can lead to heart failure, where the heart can no longer supply the amount of blood needed by the rest of the body. The result is lethargy, breathlessness and painful swollen lower limbs. Cardiomyopathy can cause other types of arrhythmias increasing the risk of stroke, blackouts and palpitations. Some have to have a device implanted in the body that will shock the heart if it develops a serious arrhythmia. In some cases, people need to have heart transplants. Others will have a cocktail of pills to take on a daily basis, each carrying their own side effects.

I will be blogging my training and progess, as well as sharing local food and fitness reviews on my blog- www.tunbridgewellness.com, new blog posts every Wednesday and Sunday. If you are considering donating, even just a pound will help help support the charity and me, and please remember to select gift aid as it gives the charity even more money!!