I was lucky enough to receive a ballot place for this years London Marathon, with no pressure to raise money I have decided personally to channel my efforts into something positive and aim to raise £750 for Beat UK, an incredible charity I have heavily relied upon over the past five years due to the immense struggles dealing with anorexia has bought to my front door. For Lucy, my beautiful daughter.

On the 22nd June 2015 I was told "If Lucy isn't admitted to hospital today she will die". Eight months prior to this I was uneducated enough on the topic of eating disorders to believe this was a "phase". Despite having a nursing background, I knew very little on this topic. Each day I spent watching my daughter fade away a little more, feeling powerless as I saw the life drain from her eyes, going to bed at night wondering if she would still be here in the morning. At worst 18 calories was the most she would consume in a day. At best I would comfort myself with the forced smile she painted over my eyes. I was naive enough to disregard the complexities of anorexia and fooled into the belief that if we managed to get her to a healthy weight she would be fine, that was four years ago. Lucy spent a total of 13 months in specialist eating disorder units over a two year period. I was exhausted of the endless cycle of turmoil anorexia created in our lives. Balancing travelling a 100 mile round trip each evening to sit with my overwrought teenage daughter for an hour, whilst working as a nurse 9-5. I was so lost in how to help.

BEAT UK runs a range of campaigns and fundraising events to prevent and help raise awareness of eating disorders and offers a 24 hour helpline to anyone affected by eating disorders, amongst support groups, online chat rooms, vital information and advice for direct sufferers and loved ones. Had we been more aware of the signs and preventions and had Lucy received early intervention; maybe I would not have had to watch my little girl faint as she walked up the stairs, find her hair in clumps on her hospital pillow or push her around in a wheelchair on her 14th birthday. Five Years ago we embarked on the longest journey and today I can proudly say ,with the immense support of charities such as beat, we have learnt to manage the ongoing challenges and I get to live each day with my Lucy Locket by my side.