Having spent 5 or so years slowly dismantling my own body by taking part in annual half marathons, I've now decided to take the ultimate plunge and go the full distance – at the York Marathon on the 20th October 2019.

I'll be fundraising for guts UK, a charity that helps thousands with its work on diseases affecting the gut, liver and pancreas. Training for this event has been the most difficult thing I've ever done, both physically and mentally, and it would be amazing if you could pledge any amount to support my cause.

Why would you want to part with your hard-earned cash? Well, hopefully one or more of these reasons applies to you:

• Helping people makes you feel warm and fuzzy. 
• You keep telling yourself you'll do more for charity but can never really be bothered, so throwing a fiver at an acquaintance's JustGiving page every 6 months keeps you morally content.
• Schadenfreude (You have my guarantee that I'll be suffering a lot).
• You're my mother and will support literally anything I do.
• My mother has sent you this link and emotionally blackmailed you into supporting me.
• Like me, you or somebody you know lives with a chronic illness, and relies on the research and support that charities like this provide in order to lead a normal and fulfilling life. In my case, that's achalasia – a rare swallowing disorder that turns the simple joy of eating into a constant battle against your own body. It's a progressive disease, and whilst I'm still lucky enough to be able to lead a mostly normal life at the moment, others aren't so lucky and rely on the support that charities like this can give.
• Having read my sob story, you're now sufficiently impressed by my effort to want to part with cash. Thought running a marathon was hard? Try doing it without a functioning digestive system!
• You like sob stories. Go on, give it another read.

Any amount you pledge would be much appreciated. Thanks!