Hi! I'm running 10K in 2026, to support the global fight against tuberculosis (TB). TB has been around for almost our entire human history, with some of the earliest surviving traces found in Ancient Egyptian mummies. It caused global devastation in the 1800s as the population sky-rocketed, accounting for almost a quarter of all deaths worldwide.

The BCG vaccine was first given to a TB patient in 1921, and was rolled out in the UK in the 1950s.

That should have been the beginning of the end – but TB is still very much a threat today as it has always been. Here's a look at the current picture:

- Around 25% of the entire world population is estimated to have latent TB (asymptomatic, non-transmittable TB that hasn't manifested as active illness)

- Most of those people are in low-income countries in Asia and Africa, where there is also a high risk of HIV infection. The two combined wreak havoc on a person’s body, with each speeding up the other’s progression. TB accounts for 40% of HIV-related deaths.

- Latent TB is more likely to develop into active TB, when a person's immune system is compromised. E.g. malnutrition, HIV infection, overcrowding, lack of basic amenities.

- Even in areas with access to effective treatment, TB requires at least 4-6 months of antibiotics, and consistency is key. That means – consistent supply of drugs, availability of treatment facilities and a strong awareness of how to prevent the spread.

- A major problem with lack of consistency is drug-resistant TB. Patients might receive some treatment, intermittently, with long waits in between – which can cause the bacteria to develop resistance, and treatments to fail.

- In 2024, 1.25 million people died from TB.

Why I’ve chosen this charity:

I want to help put a stop to preventable deaths worldwide from this disease that we've been able to cure for over a century.

Inequality is contributing to the problem, with pharmaceutical companies prioritising high-income markets where they can maximise returns on essential drugs.

The bottom line:

We should not be in a situation where over a million people are dying each year from a curable, preventable disease. TB is aggressive, debilitating and a painful way to die. Much like HIV, it’s also isolating and lonely, with fear and stigma affecting a person’s quality of life as much as the disease itself.

With funding, we can provide treatment facilities and education to communities affected by TB. Please help me join the fight against TB and get the urgent medication and care that adults and children need around the world :)