I ran in my first half marathon in May this year – The Great West Run (GWR) in Exeter – to raise funds and awareness for the charity PSC Support who support patients with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC).

In 2025 I will not only tackle the GWR once again, but also the Granite Way 10k in March and I have also applied to take part in the Royal Parks half marathon in October.

I am are seeking your support to raise funds for PSC Support, FORCE Cancer and OpenUp (mental health).

What is PSC? - PSC is a life limiting disease of the liver with no known cause, cure, or effective treatment. Although rare thousands of people are diagnosed every year (including children) and until effective treatments and a potential cure is found they face a very uncertain future.

Although not technically terminal, data show that patients live on average only 13 years on from their diagnosis falling ill with liver failure and / or cancer.

My husband was diagnosed with PSC in March 2022, and it has had a significant impact on his life.

I found running in the GWR 2024 a wonderful experience and it was emotional moment for my husband and I. In 2025 my fund raising will not only be for PSC Support but also FORCE Cancer and Open Up (mental health).

A donation of any kind to one of these charities would be appreciated, which you can do through my JustGiving page*

• PSC Support - PSC is a rare and complex immune-mediated disease of the bile ducts. Symptoms can be severe and unpredictable, sometimes progressing so far that the only lifesaving option is a liver transplant.

People with PSC live with an increased risk of developing some aggressive cancers, including bile duct, gall bladder, pancreatic and colon cancers. More than three quarters also live with inflammatory bowel disease. Even after a liver transplant, PSC returns in around a third of patients.

There is no way to slow or stop the progress of this devastating disease and people living with PSC desperately need a cure.

• FORCE Cancer - That increased cancer risk makes cancer support especially important. PSC patients (and anyone dealing with a cancer diagnosis) living in Exeter and the surrounding area can get support from FORCE Cancer (Friends of the Oncology and Radiotherapy Centre, Exeter).

• Open Up – Mental health charity of Devon Partnership NHS Trust. The uncertainty and worry generated by a PSC diagnosis is a significant strain on the metal health of the patient, and those close to them. Their Talking Therapy service has been invaluable to my husband in dealing with his own mental health.

PSC is one of several rare diseases that need greater public awareness, so look out for 'Rare Disease Day 28 Feb 2025'.

* Just Giving is a secure and safe way to donate with all your donation reaching the named charities. You can select which of the three (or all of them!) you wish to support – as little as £1 to just one of them would be wonderful 😊

Thank you for visiting my JustGivingPage.