I am delighted to be running the 2025 London Marathon to raise money for Lupus UK. In 2015, at the age of 20, I was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). When I first received my diagnosis I did not know what life would look like for me, but over the last 10 years I have had incredible support from rheumatology departments helping me get to a position where I am able to live a healthy life without the aid of medication. Running has helped me both physically and mentally throughout the last few years and I am excited to run such an incredible race for a cause so close to my heart.

Supporting this cause can help all people with lupus live full and active lives. Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes joint pain, skin rashes and tiredness. There's no cure, but symptoms can improve if treatment starts early. In people with Lupus the immune system is dysfunctional, mistakenly identifying the body’s own tissues as foreign invaders, causing the immune system to create autoantibodies to attack the body’s tissues. These form immune complexes which cause inflammation and damage – possibly affecting the organs and/or the joints in some lupus patients. Lupus is an uncommon, complex, and poorly understood disease. As such, many healthcare professionals, including General Practitioners, may not recognise the early signs resulting in a delay to referral and diagnosis. LUPUS UK is the only national registered charity supporting people with systemic lupus and discoid lupus, and assisting those approaching diagnosis.

For more information see the Lupus UK website: https://lupusuk.org.uk/

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.