Anyone who knows me well knows that running any amount of distance is no passion of mine!! This is a real challenge for me, but a challenge I want to face with strength and energy as a small way of giving back to a charity that did so much for me.

I contracted bacterial pneumococcal meningitis in March 2018. It truly is as devastatingly random as having lunch in your local town on a Saturday, and on the Sunday being induced into a coma during your daughter’s second birthday party. 

It took me a year to recover, and I am only here living a wonderful life with those I love because the right medication was developed to fight this devastating infection. Thirty years ago, I simply would have died. 

Life is now gloriously precious to me. It could have all gone in an instant, and I thank God that not only were all the fast thinking things done to help save me, but that the right treatment coupled with quick action was there to mean I had no permanent physical effects from the disease.

As we all grow older and are lucky enough to have daughters, sons, nieces, nephews, cousins and grandchildren join our families, I ask you to donate anything you can to help the fight against vaccinating the children in our lives so that one day this disease that can cause so much devastation in an instant, will no longer be as feared as it still is today. Meningitis kills more under 5-year olds in the UK than any other infectious disease,  and is the one most feared by parents, carers, and anyone who notices a rash on a loved child and reaches for a glass to see if the spots fade away.

But for ourselves as well - I always thought meningitis was something that hit the very young and the very old - not a 33 year old living a normal life. It can strike anyone at any time.

The vision is a future where no one in the UK loses their life to meningitis and everyone affected gets the support they need to rebuild their lives.

Thank you so much for your support 💗