This year I have decided to take on the challenge of a HALF MARATHON and a MARATHON within the space of FIVE weeks and raise as much money as possible for Brain Research as it has recently become very close to my heart.

This will be my 1st marathon and my 3rd half marathon. I will be taking on the Great North run half marathon on 11th September and the Yorkshire marathon on 16th October.

"The brain is the most complex organ in our body. It controls our emotions, senses and actions. So, when it breaks down, we break down."

A couple of years ago my Dad took part in a voluntary medical research trial, he was leading a fit and heathy lifestyle and we thought nothing of it and that all his results would come back fine.

All his results came back clear, apart from an abnormal brain scan. After discussions with the GP he was then referred to the Neurology department at the RVI hospital in Newcastle where they diagnosed him with a rare condition called Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas.

Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas are abnormal connections between an artery and a vein in the tough covering over the brain or spinal cord. Explained to us in simple terms, it was a leaking blood vessel on the brain which if not treated would possibly have caused the high risk of a haemorrhagic stroke or bleeding on the brain.

Fast forward a few months later, my Dad received a date for his operation. A routine planned op where he would have to stay in 1 night as a precaution but would be allowed out the next day.

The dreaded day arrived and the 5 hour operation everything went well and Dad was making a good recovery. He was allowed home the following day. I remember it vividly -he came skipping down the drive modelling his trendy knee-high socks and I made him a cup of tea.

Later that night he went to bed as he was tired. A couple of hours later he woke up with a banging headache and was being sick. We thought this might just be side effects from the operation. We rang 111 and spoke to the ward and they said to get him back to hospital as soon as possible. My Dad just wanted to rest and sleep it off and we were unable to persuade him to go back to hospital that night. The following morning my Mum and I drove him straight back to A&E as he had lost all the feeling in his left arm and suffered a seizure during the night due to swelling on the brain.

The next few days were very worrying as he had experienced a seizure which caused numbness in his left arm and hand . He was advised that the feeling might never come back and that he might not be able to drive again which could impact his life dramatically.

Fortunately the consultant who had operated on my Dad was back on the ward a few days later and assured him that he had seen this happen before and that my Dad would make a full recovery.

It took a month for my Dad to recover and for the feeling to come back in his arm and hand. Fast forward nearly a year later and he has been discharged from hospital and leading a normal unrestricted life.

This could have been a very different story if he hadn’t taken part in voluntary medical research. Brain research is so important and having had our family experiencing it first hand I am even more determined to raise as much as possible to help other people needing brain surgery.

Thank you for reading my story and any donations will be gratefully appreciated. Bellway Homes, my workplace have very kindly said that they will match my donations up to £1,000.