Save the date, make a banner and make sure the camera is fully charged because, on 28th April 2019 I'll be attempting the London Marathon!

You probably already know that I am not one of life's natural athletes, and the thought of running 26.2 miles is incredibly daunting. I'll be running to raise money for Meningitis Now, a charity which offers support to those affected by meningitis, funds research into vaccines and treatments, and raises awareness of signs and symptoms - please help me to raise as much as possible to help them continue this work.

The work Meningitis Now does to raise awareness of the symptoms is incredibly important. I was at university when I developed meningitis and I didn't think of myself as being in an at risk group so I didn't get help when my symptoms first started. I had some headaches and a slightly stiff neck, but sensitivity to light didn't happen until I was already very ill, and I never developed 'the rash' - it wasn't until I was having seizures that my family or I realised something was seriously wrong. A brain scan showed hydrocephalus, I had abnormal lumbar punctures, and I’d frequently become unresponsive. This continued for weeks and no guarantees, however small, were made about my prognosis.

Whilst recovering from meningitis I developed a very rare condition called transverse myelitis, which severely affected the sensation and movement from my belly button down. It took months before I could walk unassisted, and many more months to get back to my normal physical state - and I'm one of the lucky ones. I survived with minimal long term damage, but my initial prognosis wasn't optimistic and acting sooner on my meningitis symptoms would probably have made my recovery a lot easier.

Throughout my recovery Meningitis Now provided lots of helpful information during some very dark days which recognised that meningitis isn't the whole battle; that the ongoing disabilities and the psychological aftermath are just as tough - I'll always be grateful for being told that feeling that way was normal. Meningitis Now also offers invaluable support to families who have had their lives shattered by a far worse outcome than mine.

Nearly 5 years on you’d never be able to tell how ill I was. I’ve still got some weakness and a slight limp on my right side, my left eyelid droops slightly, and I sometimes mix up letters within words when I speak - but they’re all very subtle after effects. I know I’m extremely lucky, especially as there were days when I expected to die. My parents used to ask my neurologists how long it would take for me to walk again: their response was it was an "if", not a "when", which makes me all the more grateful that I’m able to run. Please help to motivate me even more by donating to Meningitis Now so they can continue to help people like they helped me. 

Thank you,

Love Emily x





Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.