Thanks for visiting my page! I started Couch to 5k in May 2020 to help me recover from Covid...and I just kept running...on 3rd October 2021 I'm completing the London Marathon with my husband Jon. We both turn 50 in the next few months and decided to run 50+ miles to raise money for a very good cause - one that is close to our hearts, as my cousin's son, Ioan, lives with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and is an inspiration to us all. When I'm struggling in the later stages of the marathon, I'll be thinking of Ioan and all those that live with this cruel condition...who on a daily basis keep fighting to put one foot in front of another to keep walking and stay mobile. I am so lucky to be able to run - I will never take it for granted.

Action Duchenne raises vital funding to address the impact of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) on young people with DMD and their family and friends - and support them in the challenges they have to overcome each day. DMD is a rare genetic muscle wasting condition affecting around 2,500 people in the UK – the vast majority being male. The body does not produce a protein called dystrophin which is needed for muscle function. Usually diagnosed around the age of 4 years, parents are told the devastating news that the life expectancy of their child is around 30 years – the worst news you could ever expect to hear. DMD severely affects quality of life; in time, a wheelchair is used full-time and eventually all of the muscles in the body stop working. Ventilation is needed to assist with breathing and death usually occurs from heart failure. There are currently no cures or treatment options available to the entire population who have the condition – this is what Action Duchenne is working hard to change. Established in 2001, Action Duchenne work tirelessly to deliver the overall vision of the charity - 'a world where lives are no longer limited by Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy'. To find out more about the vital lifesaving work that Action Duchenne are supporting click here for research and if you still need convincing as to the impact your donation can have, watch this short video created by Eve, who is a Duchenne sibling.

A donation and message here will have a much longer lasting impact than a birthday card - thank you!