I got to know my friend Christine when we both had a toddler and couldn't stop bumping into each other on the school run. In 2018, Chris's then 2 year old daughter Zoe was diagnosed with INAD (infantile neuro-axonal dystrophy). INAD is a very rare disease causing progressive visual, mental and physical skill loss. Life expectancy for children with INAD is around 5-10 years old. 

Currently there is no cure for INAD and most treatments focus on symptom management. Chris and family founded the charity Cure INAD UK to fund research and change this. 

Zoe is now 7 and has an almost 4 year old brother called Alex who loves dancing and owns amazing shoes with light-up soles. The whole family enjoys home discos in the evenings and I agree it was great fun last time I visited 😁. However it goes without saying that INAD impacts all aspects of family life, and that's why finding a cure is so important. 

I like running but never been very consistent with hobbies so a marathon always felt beyond my reach. However, Cure INAD UK is a reason to keep motivated. Leeds seems pretty hilly but I used to live there and I rode up most of these hills in tears when I took up cycling in 2009 (shortlived- I was terrible at cycling). Crying all the way up the same hills on foot should feel familiar if not easy. 

Zoe's dad Steve will also be running Leeds Marathon for Cure INAD UK so hopefully money raised will have a big impact on research. 

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.