“But you look fine”

This is something you hear a lot when you tell people you have MS.

I was 23 when I was first diagnosed. 

One in 500 people in the UK have multiple sclerosis and I want to help the MS Society to continue their fantastic work in supporting the 130,000 people in the UK with MS.

#Invisible40 aims to raise awareness of the invisible illness, fundraise for the charity and walk whilst I still can.

In 2015, I completed #Invisible30 - my first challenge to walk 1,000 miles.

Since then, my MS has progressed. After nearly 10 years of pain and sensory issues, I suddenly had double vision and a lazy eye at the same time. I was dependent on others and I hated it. Luckily, a short course of steroids bought my eyes back to normal, just about.

I’ve now been on disease-modifying drugs (tecfidera) for 3 years. So far, no new lesions on the brain. And no major relapses. 

Today, I have crippling nerve pain in my left thigh and I have the memory of Dory. 

In 2020, I turned 35 and thought...

5 years ago I achieved my proudest personal achievement. 

5 years on and my legs still work.

5 years on and I am looking forward and could see the big 40 in the not-too-distant future. 

Never one to sit still, I have decided to set myself a new challenge - #Invisible40.

Over the next 5 years, I will be walking 5,000 miles to raise money and awareness for @MS Society UK. 

Am I mad? Yes, probably. Will I do it anyway? Of course:-)

I don’t have a legacy in terms of children to leave behind when I’m gone so this is my way of leaving my mark long after I’ve gone. If I can raise much-needed money to fight for the cause and if I can raise awareness to educate people on the condition then my work is complete.

If you’ve read all the way to this point then thank you. And I do hope you will support me by joining me on a walk over the years to come.