I'm doing 30 training runs for the Pituitary Foundation's 30th Anniversary (And my first 5K race!)

A pituitary condition can affect anyone, at any stage in their life.

The pituitary gland is a small gland at the base of that skull that secretes hormones, and controls several hormone glands in the body, including the thyroid, adrenals, ovaries and testes. As you can imagine, if anything goes wrong with this tiny gland (often as a result of a head injury or pituitary tumour), it can wreak havoc on the body.

At the age of 12, I suffered a head injury from falling off a table. After about 4 years of being dismissed, misdiagnosed and let down by medical professionals, I was finally diagnosed with a life-changing pituitary condition at the age of 16: Arginine Vasopressin Deficiency (AVP-D).

(Learn more about AVD-P on the Pituitary Foundation's website.)

Living with a pituitary condition is a constant battle, not only with trying to balance out the hormones in your body every hour of every day, but also having to educate medical professionals on your health condition. It can be incredibly lonely, isolating and frustrating.

The Pituitary Foundation

Founded in 1994, the Pituitary Foundation is a beacon of hope for people who live with a pituitary condition, and their carers. Their services include regional support groups, an endocrine nurse helpline, online resources and a “telephone buddy” system. The foundation depends on fundraising and donations to keep these services running… which is especially difficult for a small charity that’s unknown to many.

This year marks the Pituitary Foundation's 30th anniversary, and I’m taking on my first ever race, a 5K around Manchester’s Media City, to raise as much money as possible to help fund their amazing work.

Why a 5k race?

I know… it might not sound like a lot compared with people running marathons, or climbing Mount Everest, but it’s a huge challenge for me. As someone with asthma and a pituitary condition that means I struggle to stay hydrated, 5k is HUGE!

I’ll be documenting my 30 training runs to 5K on here, so keep your eyes peeled…