On the weekend of 6th May I am taking part in an event called Walk for ME. Family and friends of a sufferer of ME have been invited to choose a walk. The idea is that the friend or family member is doing something that their loved one would love to be able to do but can't. 

I am doing this for all sufferers.  But especially my thoughts are with Emily who had her life turned upside-down by this debilitating and devastating illness nearly 10 years ago. Emily is considered to be moderately affected by ME. She is unable to work or study. She has 4x 30 minute bed rests a day.  She can socialise with friends, but only for an houror two at a time, in situations of low activity. Every activity she undertakes, such as a 30 minute walk on a good day, has to be planned around rests, so as not to bring on an increase in her synptoms. She is 22 years old. At 12 she was very active and sporty.  Even with ME she considered doing the Duke of Edinburgh Awards.  She looks forward to a full recovery eventually, but at the moment no one knows what causes ME or how to cure it.  But there is very little research into the illness.

I am intending to walk the entire length of the River Test by following the Test Way, 44 miles. I will start by the river source in Berkshire on the 4th May and hope to reach Southampton Water at the end of day on the 5th.

Your money will be going directly into funding biomedical research, to understand the causes, consequences and treatment of the condition

If you are able to make a donation to ME Research UK, the charity I wish to support, we will all be hugely grateful.

Bill