We had such a lovely end to 2022 and I was finally feeling in the swing of this motherhood journey. Then February 2023 came and I experienced various symptoms mostly affecting my lower left side. As the days went on, things got worse and I had lost all sensation and feeling on that side of my body affecting my mobility, swallow and general functioning. After numerous tests, MRI’s and a trip to see some specialists in London for a lumbar puncture, I received the diagnosis of Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS).

I appreciate this will come as a surprise to many of you and may very well be the first time a lot of my friends are hearing about this. Whilst navigating this journey has at times felt scary, sharing this publicly also feels pretty daunting! But the reason I am sharing this is because A: I want to educate friends, family and others on MS! There are a lot of misconceptions and myths out there but I have learnt so much over the past year and I want to share this knowledge and raise awareness! And B: Raise money for this fantastic charity and make an impact by doing something positive!

For those who don’t know, MS is a lifelong neurological condition which affects your brain and spinal cord. With MS, the coating that protects your nerves becomes damaged, meaning things don’t quite signal as they should! Symptoms vary from person to person and the most predictable thing about this illness, is how unpredictable it can be!

Whilst there is currently no cure, there are a number of very effective treatments which are now available which is changing how peoples MS progresses. These drugs can help prevent further relapses and disability and I am fortunate enough to have started on the highly effective disease modifying treatment called Ocrelizumab, which I receive as an infusion every 6 months. This doesn’t cure MS, but it reduces my chances of further relapses and slows down my progression.

I feel very grateful and fortunate that I have recovered well from that relapse, regaining most of my sensation and being able to be active again. I’m trying my best to continue doing the things I love, and as most of you know, that involves running! I feel so grateful to still have my mobility that I feel even more motivated to use it, hence me signing up to the London Marathon again, but this time to raise funds for the amazing charity, the MS Trust.

Yes I may have ran marathons and ultra marathons before, but this is no small feat for me as not only am I rebuilding my fitness post-partum but I am learning how to run with MS and the various symptoms that crop up day to day. Running no longer feels the same (hello foot drop!) and I have a lot of learning to do by myself and with my MS physios and occupational therapists, but for as long as my body allows me to run I will continue to do so!

The MS Trust really helped me with advice when I was first diagnosed and helped with information regarding my treatment options. It is the first place I have directed friends and family to, to learn more about the condition and it is a place I can always turn to for support. With no government or NHS funding, it relies solely on donations and I want to ensure that this service continues to be there for people who have MS and those who are yet to be diagnosed. Your donation will help fund everything this charity does including funding MS specialist nurses, something which I have been so grateful to have access to.

If you want to learn more about MS, please do head to their website: https://mstrust.org.uk/

Thank you for reading my story and thank you SO much for sharing and donating where possible, it truly means the world 🥰