UPDATE 09/09/2022: Following the postponement of the Richmond Runfest Marathon, we will be participating instead in the New Forest Marathon on Sunday 11 September. Thank you all for your generous donations.

Hello, I'm Elliot and I will be running the New Forest Marathon 2022 alongside my fiancée Alice. We are running to raise money for The Psoriasis Association who are the leading national charity and membership organisation for people affected by psoriasis in the UK. All donations received help to sustain their work in supporting people affected by psoriasis, raise awareness and fund research projects.

I am 24 years old and have suffered from psoriasis for the last 7 years. Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune condition that has a variety of physical and psychological consequences. I experience unpredictable rash outbreaks that appear across a wide area of my body but particularly on my arms, legs and scalp. It took me almost 2 years to get diagnosed with psoriasis and during this period I dealt with extended spells of anxiety and low confidence.

It is estimated that 2% of the UK population suffer from psoriasis and yet I believe that there is a lack of education about the causes, symptoms and treatments of it. 94% of young psoriasis sufferers surveyed say they are affected by anxiety and depression; with 42% too embarrassed to seek help. This must change.

An excellent video summarising common experiences of psoriasis sufferers can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnWFm4Nv8jA&ab_channel=TheSkinI%27mIn

If you do not wish, or are unable, to donate, I would be grateful if you would take a few minutes to read the information at https://www.psoriasis-association.org.uk/about-psoriasis

Thank you very much for taking the time to visit our JustGiving Page. I would love to hear from you with your stories of psoriasis or if you would like any further information about my personal experiences of living with it.

Elliot x