I'm running the Great Scottish Half Marathon to raise funds for my partner Bethany's Mission to power awareness, support and research for mitochondrial disease. Please read her story below, and support us if you can!

"My health was okay in early childhood but when I was around six, I became so ill with stomach upsets, vomiting and dehydration I needed to be hospitalised. Because my mum was diagnosed with a mitochondrial disorder called ‘MELAS’, I was investigated for the condition. Blood tests revealed a fault with the 3243A>G gene which meant the same diagnosis for me.

MELAS is short for ‘Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathy, Lactic Acidosis and Stroke-like episodes’ and it affects many of the body's systems, but particularly the brain, nervous system and muscles.

My mum’s diagnosis has since been changed to MIDD (Maternally Inherited Diabetes & Deafness) and is caused by the same gene fault. As the name suggests, her main symptoms are diabetes and deafness. This form of mito is maternally inherited so it’s thought my older brother has it too – but mildly, as he’s asymptomatic. Unfortunately for me, mine’s not so mild and I spent a lot of time in and out of hospital as a child.

Since becoming an adult, I still have gastric problems and now also debilitating headaches, muscle pain and really awful fatigue. Working has proved difficult for me because of my health issues, but luckily I have a very supportive husband, Ryan, who is really understanding.

My big passion is music – specifically, Queen. I heard ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ as a teenager and loved it, got into all their songs and haven’t stopped listening! I’m an animal lover too and we have two gorgeous cats called Phoebe and Fegie who complete our little household.

I'd love for more people to be aware of mito. My mission is to help others understand the condition better. So many people still haven’t heard of mitochondrial disease, let alone know what it is. It’s hard being ill, but it makes it even harder to have something little known and not well understood.

Mito is invisible a lot of the time, which doesn’t help. It would be so much easier if more people were aware of mito and understanding about its effects.

I’d like to play even a small part in helping to make that happen.

Thanks for reading my story."

Bethany, August 2022

Mitochondrial disease affects around 1 in 5000 adults and currently there is no treatment or cure. It can become symptomatic at any age, with many variants and it can be life-limiting and debilitating.

Mitochondrial research could help not only those affected by mito but also MILLIONS who have common conditions which involve mitochondrial damage. Such as cancer, dementia, epilepsy, heart disease, stroke and sepsis.

My Mito Mission is an 'umbrella' charity. All funds raised by our 'missions' - like Bethany's - run by affected families around the UK go to the central cause. Raising awareness, support, research and above all hope for a cure for everyone impacted. Thank you for supporting this incredibly worthy cause.