In 2016 my brother Ethan was diagnosed with Behcets. He was in his late 20s at the time and the illness has had a really profound impact on his quality of life. During flare-ups, Behcets is completely physically debilitating.

Behcets is incurable, lifelong, incredibly rare and, like many autoimmune conditions, can be chronically misunderstood. Even most GPs haven't heard of it and many people with the condition struggle for years without being diagnosed. When my brother and our family tried to speak to others about managing his condition, we found most people hadn't heard of it and found it hard to understand or sympathise.

That's why my sister Natasha and I are doing the Behcet's to Beach challenge - We're running (her) and cycling (me) 103 miles not just to raise funds for Behcet's research but also to raise awareness of what the illness is.

We would be delighted if you donate what you can spare to sponsor our challenge and also read the information below....

Behçets, also known as Behçets Disease or Behçets Syndrome is a rare, complex and lifelong condition resulting from disturbances in the body's immune system.Symptoms, some debilitating, occur wherever there is a patch of inflammation; this can be anywhere where there is a blood supply from the brain down to the feet.Behçets UK cares for all those affected by Behçets including patients and their carers. They promote and fund research into the condition and their ultimate aim is to find a cure but in the meantime, they strive to obtain the best care for all Behçets patients.Behçet's UK doesn't receive any government funding and relies on the generosity of donors to continue to provide their services and deliver their aims.