2023: Padel4Poppy | 2024: Paris4Poppy | 2025: TheCapital4Crohn's

Once again, I am planning to put my body through a lot of pain for an amazing cause. Once again, I am asking for your generosity to support an incredibly important charity to my family. Once again, I am reminding you of the debilitating impact that Crohn's and Colitis can have on people's lives.

This time, I am ramping up to run the big one: The London Marathon 2025.

For those not aware, in 2022 my sister Poppy was diagnosed with Colitis, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Since 2015, I have been fighting a separate battle with Crohn's disease, another form of IBD. Both of these illnesses have carried significant challenges physically and mentally; endless hospital visits, medication and the wide range of grim symptoms can make life tough going at times.

My Crohn's has taken me to the point of weighing 42kg and spending 6 weeks without any solid food, living solely off IBD formula drinks. For Poppy, 2023 saw 5 months of steroid medication, ending in a stay in hospital. The frustration of not being able to get the disease under control, paired with the side effects of the drugs, was incredibly bleak to endure. Despite everything she's been through, since her diagnosis I have been consistently inspired by Poppy's ability to stay so positive, open and characteristically selfless, even at times when I know things have been pretty miserable.

There are an estimated half a million people with these life long diseases in the UK alone. Many suffer in silence because of the stigma and misunderstanding surrounding them. Crohn’s and Colitis UK do an amazing job of not only giving people hope, comfort and confidence to live freer, fuller lives but also to improve diagnosis and treatment and fund research into a cure.

For me, the London Marathon has always represented the quintessential fundraising event, and I am extremely grateful and excited to have the opportunity to run it this year. To be doing so whilst representing such an important charity to me is incredibly special. Please give generously to the cause to help support all the brilliant work that Crohn's and Colitis UK do.