When I was around 9 years old, my dad was diagnosed with MS – Multiple Sclerosis. MS is an incurable disease. What it does is attack the nervous system, slowly deteriorating physical and cognitive capabilities. At first my dad would need the use of a walking stick to get around, but eventually he was forced into a wheelchair, with damage to the spinal cord affecting his ability to walk. His eyesight was also affected, making it very difficult for him to read without a bright light and a magnifying glass.

My father lived with MS for 9 years, before his smoking led to emphysema, which caused breathing difficulties. And in February 2006, he passed away peacefully in his sleep.

I didn’t have much of a social life during my childhood/teenage years. Everyday after school most kids my age would meet up and do whatever it was they liked to do. In my case I spent each day after school looking after my dad, helping him in any way I could, from cooking meals to running errands to doing things around the house. My version of a social life was playing field hockey for the high school on Saturday mornings.

His condition progressively got worse, and it showed in his physical stature. But the one thing MS couldn’t do was affect his personality. He always found the funny side to things, often came away with sarcastic comments. But most of all, my dad wasn’t letting his condition get the better of him, refused to let it change who he was.

I guess these events have made me who I am today. My dad’s sense of humour and sarcasm were always present, and these traits kind of rubbed off on me. I still don’t have much of a social life, preferring to stay home rather than go out for a few drinks unless I’m invited to some sort of occasion. And because I didn’t have much of a social life, I find it difficult to make friends and sometimes find myself unsure how to act in certain situations. However, working in a hotel has helped me improve on these aspects.

The worst moment anyone can ever experience is the death of a loved one, and there is nothing I wouldn’t give just to have him back even for a day. Having said that, I am glad that he is no longer suffering. I’m not a religious person, and I don’t believe in an afterlife, but I do believe that my dad is at peace.

I'm running the Edinburgh marathon in May 2013 to raise funds for the MS Society in his memory, and it's also a fantastic personal achievement.