Thank you for taking the time to visit my fundraising page. 

I’m extremely thrilled to be running the London Marathon in April 2019 in aid of my chosen charity Lupus UK. People who know me know very well that I’m not a natural runner. I surprised myself and no doubt others by managing to complete two half-marathons in the past two years. The full-marathon undoubtedly will be the toughest physical and mental challenge I am likely to face.

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease which occurs when the body’s immune system attacks its own healthy organs and tissues, causing a wide range of symptoms, such as extreme fatigue, joint pain, inflammation, rashes, fever and depression.  The inflammation caused by Lupus can harm everything from the kidneys, skin, joints and blood cells, to the lungs, brain and heart. Lupus patients are reliant on taking a medley of medications daily to help reduce both the aggressive nature of the illness and the danger of major organ damage. It is difficult to diagnose, hard to live with and a challenge to treat.

As some of you may already be aware, my mother in law has suffered with Lupus for over 30 years, and two years ago my wife was diagnosed with the condition. Keeping up with this unpredictable condition is one of the biggest challenges I watch them face on a daily basis. The effects of Lupus are not always visible and sadly, the reality is that my mum and wife are fighting an every day battle to find a ‘new normal’ that works for them. The condition leaves them exhausted, run down and often in pain, triggering a flare up by simply going about their usual day. Taking advantage of one good day is almost always followed by three bad days, where they struggle to even get out of bed in the morning. Learning to live with the condition is difficult as it does not have a predictable pathway of treatment and is incurable.

Lupus UK is the national charity which aims to improve the lives of Lupus patients by offering invaluable support, funding medical research and raising awareness within the medical profession. I would be very grateful for any donations in support of this fantastic cause.

Thank you.