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Ok, I'm not sure if this is a mid-life crisis kicking in early, a moment of drunken confidence or simply a way of getting fit and challenging myself, but whatever the reason I have signed up to complete the Edinburgh marathon at the end of May and then the British 10k in July.

 

I have actually talked about doing this for a few years now, but have never really given it 100% commitment when it came to completing an application form. However, speaking to my sister (Jill) a few months ago inspired me to get my backside into gear and make it happen.

Some of you reading this may know Jill and what she went through when she was 16, others may be hearing this for the 1st time.

This is my memory of some of the events of an awful few weeks in February 2001........

I was living in Surrey and Jill was still in the north east at the time, from phone calls home i knew Jill had been unwell for a few days but didn't think it was anything serious. That weekend was my stag party and me and a few friends headed off to Birmingham for a night out. I dont remember much of that night other than coming out of a nightclub at 2am and picking up a number of voicemails saying I needed to get to back to Newcastle asap as Jill was seriously ill in intensive care. Needless to say, I sobered up very quickly and we headed north.

 

The first thing I remember after getting to the hospital is seeing Jill through the window of her room and seeing her covered in tubes and attached to a monitor and feeling sick at how pale and lifeless she looked.

 

The doctor gathered the family in the room and started to explain what had happened to Jill. Other than understanding Jill was suffering from a serious brain condition and that she was in an induced coma, the details were a blur but I vividly remember him saying "the Jill that went to sleep, won't be the Jill that wakes up". That was the worst moment of my life and still scares me today. 

 

There was a serious threat that Jill could die or at the very least suffer permanent brain damage, Over the following days and weeks, with the help of some excellent medical care Jill started to fight back, woke up and gradually moved to a regular ward and finally home. The relief to the whole family was incredible and we were all so thankful to the doctors, nurses and luckily the recently installed equipment designed to treat Jill's condition.

 

Jill had suffered from a condition called Viral Encephalitis which is inflammation of the brain caused by infection or immune system problems. It can occur at any age and there are no clear symptoms. The condition affects around 4000 people each year and has a high mortality rate. 

 

We were very lucky that Jill recovered well, however not all families are as lucky and there is very little awareness of the condition and limited funding for research. The Encephalitis Society are the only chartiy currently supporting the condition and it needs support in raising funds. 

 

I am looking to raise a minimum of £2600 (£100 per mile) and would really appreciate your help in hitting this target.

 

I have never run anything like this distance before and it's going to be a tough few months of early mornings, hard training, much reduced alcohol and ice baths (dreading them). 

 

I  will be posting updates and pictures of how the training is going, and I would like you all to have a guess at my exact time when you make a donation

 

Thanks for your support

 

PS - On a funny note, my friend Kris was flying in from working in Russia to meet us in Birmingham. Being a long flight, Kris had started on the wine nice and early. When he landed, he was already drunk and couldnt find us at the airport. He called one of the lads who told him we were already in Newcastle, leaving him stranded and drunk 200 miles from his home. Funny now, but not for any of us at the time. 

 

Barry

 

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