I would be hugely grateful if you could help me raise money for this amazing charity in my fathers memory. Everything, no matter how small, will help. 

Guillain-Barré syndrome is a rare autoimmune condition affecting the peripheral nervous system, usually leading to temporary or long-term paralysis. Around 80% of those with GBS will make a good recovery, but between 5-10% of people will not survive and the other 10-15% may be left with severe mobility or dexterity issues. GAIN helps people understand and manage both acute and chronic variants of the syndrome, raises awareness, and promotes clinical and non-clinical research into these conditions.

Running for Daddy

In 1988, when I was seven and my father was 51, he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré. He was a healthy, sporty father of four who began to feel tingling in his hands and feet one week and the next he was paralysed from the mid chest down.

When he was eventually discharged from hospital months later he was still unable to walk and his hand dexterity was poor. He worked hard to regain movement and independence and I will never forget the day that I saw him pull himself up at the kitchen counter to a standing position. The first time I had seen him upright in months.

As I got older I began to understand more of the disease and what it took from him physically and mentally. How the electrical pulses his brain sent to his body weren’t getting through as they should. How over time his physical deficits would improve but never completely heal, and of course how this had a huge impact on his mental health.

With time Dad was able to work again, drive again, walk again but he was left with respiratory problems and went on to have two pleurectomies and had a constant cough. He also suffered from lymphedema. It then came apparent that the diagnosis of Guillain-Barré was not correct, he had actually got CIDP. This meant readmissions for immunoglobulin treatments that would sometimes have a noticeable effect but other times not. Complications arose with high blood pressure, strokes and infections. He became old before his time and was eventually admitted to a nursing home as his care could not be manged at home. His final years were bleak other than the unwavering commitment and love from my mother and wonderful family events like giving my little sister away at her wedding and seeing his grandchildren grow.

I can still hardly believe that it has been 5 years since we said our final goodbyes and I miss him every day, we all do.

Running for GAIN will be an honour and a privilege. I am also sure that when the training and the marathon become tougher than I can currently imagine, thinking of dad and the strength that he mustered to keep going will help me push through.

Thank you in advance.

Lizzie

For more info visit www.gaincharity.org.uk