I am extremely disappointed to say that I had to pull out of running at the Royal Parks half Marathon due to illness caused by immunosuppression from my arthritis medication.  It was a horribly tough decision to withdraw, but I need to put health first.  Therefore I will resume training as soon as fitness allows for another half marathon, probably the Brighton half  in February 2020.

Here’s the background: I am training to run my first ever half marathon,, which is a huge physical personal challenge. I’m raising money for Doctors For Nepal- the charity that I founded, and of which I am the chair of trustees. We raise funds for students from disadvantaged backgrounds in remote mountainous regions of Nepal, to study Medicine, nursing, & midwifery. They are then bonded to work back in their remote villages, providing healthcare to tens of thousands of patients. 

Six years ago I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis; it affects many of my joints, including my hands & feet. It has taken years of treatment to get it under control enough for me to even contemplate running a half marathon. So far, I have managed the training without any issues, and it is thanks to our wonderful NHS that I get ridiculously expensive treatment (Consentyx) for free- allowing me this opportunity to raise awareness, and funds for those less fortunate.

Please do give whatever you can to help spur me on,  and to ensure that we are able to continue to support our students over the coming months and years in Nepal. To learn more about the charity, visit www.doctorsfornepal.org  Thank you.