On 26 June 2023 we said our final goodbyes to my wonderful Dad. At the age of 71, having only been ill for the previous 6 weeks, Dad lost his life to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), a rare and fatal neurodegenerative disorder that affects the brain and nervous system. CJD is one of a group of diseases called prion diseases, and it affects only 1 - 2 people per million of the population per year. There are 4 types of CJD: Sporadic, Genetic, Iatrogenic and Variant. Dad had the Sporadic type, the cause of which is completely unknown. We have asked ourselves everyday since, why him?

On 21 April 2024 I will be running the London Marathon in Dad’s memory and for everyone else who has lost loved ones to this savage, devastating disease. I am raising money for The CJD Support Network, which was set up in 1995 by relatives of people who have died with CJD, and is the only UK charity dedicated to the disease. Their mission is to help ensure that appropriate practical and emotional support is available for all strains of CJD in the UK, and those at increased risk of CJD. We have first hand experience of how valuable their support is! Before Dad’s diagnosis, I had never heard of Sporadic CJD and I expect that those reading this post will be the same. It is vital that we raise awareness so that increased funding is made available to try and find a cure. My Dad didn’t have that opportunity but hopefully others in the future will be in a better position.

Those who know me will know that I am not a ‘natural runner’, nor have I taken on a sporting challenge like this before (I usually leave that to my husband!) but this cause is so close to my heart that I couldn’t resist taking this one on. Please donate whatever you can - your support will be the biggest motivation and I thank you all heaps in advance!!!!

Dad, I love you and miss you so much - this one’s for you xxxxxxxxx

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