So, I am running the Jurassic Coast 10km Run in September for the charity Pulmonary Hypertension Association UK, with my lovely friend Hannah... and here is why! 

 

My story begins with a lovely person (one in a million) I had the pleasure of being friends with throughout my childhood. Her name was Leanne Pannell (please google her!). She was petite, funny, pretty and energized and we got on perfectly. We spent our childhood going from my house to hers, next door, before playing in the gardens, woods and brook that surrounded our houses. We, along with our brothers and sisters, were inseperable. 

 

One day when she was 13 and I was 11 Leanne, quite literally, woke up very poorly. She was taken to hospital after suffering from breathing difficulties. It took a long time to get to the root of the problem - nearly a year in fact - before Leanne was diagnosed with Pulmonary Hypertension; a condition affecting one in a million people. 

 

Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) is a serious medical condition, not to be confused with Hypertension (high blood pressure), that can take 2 - 5years to be diagnosed. People with PH, in short, have thicker artery walls that do not stretch as effectively with exertion. This means the heart has to work harder to pump blood to the lungs. If the heart has to work harder than usual over a long period of time (months or years), it begins to work less effectively. For more info, please click on the site above!

 

Leanne was given a mere 18months to live based on her condition. Time passed and we made the most of everything, spending time just being together. Leanne put her time and energy into promoting awareness of PH and her battle and she did not once stop to complain. I never heard her moan about it. Ever. All I would here from her was "Never Give Up!".

 

She took part in a Channel 5 documentary called "Child in a Million" that got a lot of media attention (Page 21) and we took part in campaigns to prevent cuts in funding to the PHA from the government. 

 

6 Years passed... now that is how you know you're a fighter! But on the 2nd of January, during a trip out for a late Lunch together, Leanne became very distressed and poorly. We returned home immediately and tried to prevent things from getting worse. Sadly, later that night, aged just 19, she was taken from us by the angels because her mission here on earth was complete (We talked at length about how and why this would happen). She left behind her beloved Little Bro, and ME...

My life fell apart. No matter how much I understood and knew Leanne accepted this end, I couldn't. I single handedly tore my life apart and for 2 Years, could not regain my composure. However, eventually, I got there. I worked out my battle wasn't with the world anymore... It was with myself. I picked it all up and have (and still am) putting it all back together again.

 

This is the first of many events, I plan to take part in for Leanne. In her memory, in her presence and for something she lived, worked and died for. I'm not asking for anything but what you can honestly spare to help raise money for a charity that never stops giving to people who are so unique, you might just forget them or worse yet, never heard of them! 

 

This site is quick and easy - once you've donated, the charity recieves it straightaway ( Please add gift aid if you can!) 

So please dig deep and donate now. Thank you so much!