On Sunday 23 April 2023, I will be running the London Marathon in aid of Fight for Sight.

Fight for Sight is the UK’s leading eye research charity. Their aim is to stop sight loss by funding pioneering research in to what causes different eye diseases and conditions and find ways of treating them.

I first became aware of Fight for Sight after my childhood friend Joe Pepper (pictured above on the right, with me wearing my dad's shirt on the left..) underwent pioneering gene therapy following a diagnosis of a degenerative eye disease called choroideremia. Joe was diagnosed with choroideremia at the age of 10, and was told it was likely he would be blind by the time he reached 30 years of age. However, thanks to groundbreaking research at the Imperial College London which was funded by Fight for Sight, Joe was part of a clinical trial which resulted in a scientific breakthrough. Remarkably, the disease was halted and even some of his sight loss was restored. 

Joe will no longer go blind. 

You can read more about Joe's story here: www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-36101786?fbclid=IwAR0eZG2OEHQkJA-f1F-WIssU9xuOM81DCpvnJP3Ietf2kCsjE4m_xpNE4vI

I'm very proud of Joe and the journey he has been through, so I am taking on the 26.2 mile run to raise awareness for this fantastic charity. With more funding and research, we can make sight loss a thing of the past.

Thank you for reading and for your donation!