The trust funds scientists and clinicians to pursue productive lines of research-Donations go straight to researchers and equipment, and are proving particularly effective in furthering our understanding of the condition and of potential treatments!

In a few days time I will be heading to Tanzania to attempt to climb and summit Mt Kilimanjaro, its peak being an impressive 5895m above sea level. I will be part of a team of 18 women and an impressive number of skilled porters.

I signed up to this challenge in February and since then have cut back work to focus on a training programme that's helped to build my endurance and muscular strength. Those of you who know me will know what a huge undertaking this is for me, bearing in mind I couldn't walk at a normal pace or for any distance just 18 months ago, following a slipped disc and and intense year of chronic fatigue, all linked to my wonky, wonderful EDS body! So, I can't promise how far I will get, hence leaving fundraising to the last minute, but it looks like I will be getting on that plane on Thursday and I will do my best to summit Kili.

In memory of my amazing parents, who I think of and miss dearly every day, I have chosen two charities, one raising funds for St Thomas' Wegener's Trust who work to gain a better understanding of this cruel autoimmune disease and improve treatment, life expectancy and hopefully, one day, a cure. My beautiful, kind, loving mother battled this illness courageously for many years, mostly with a smile on her face and her sense of humour intact.

The other charity is Kidney Research, who do vital work improving the lives of those affected by kidney failure. My dad suffered with kidney failure and was unfortunately not a candidate for transplant, but dialysis allowed him to stay with us long enough to meet his granddaughter, and have a few more years with us. He was a very brave, gentle, quiet but hilarious dad who I miss dearly.

So, if you can, please do consider splitting your donation over both of these charities. I wont ask you to dig deep, anything you can give will help people suffering these illnesses in the future and help to keep me putting one foot in front of the other on that mountain!

Thank you so much for reading, Nic xx :-)