Hello!

I am attempting  to run the Bristol half marathon on Sunday 14th September to raise money for ME Research UK.   Please support me by making a donation, and if anyone wants to come along and yell at me, please do as I’ll need all the help I can get!

Those who know me well know that I suffered from ME for four years.  M.E. is a chronic illness affecting around 240,000 people in the UK, with only 1 in 10 making a full recovery.  It came on suddenly over two days with flu-like symptoms.  From being full of energy and working hard, I suddenly found that I couldn’t work, think properly or even walk up the stairs.  I am lucky to have been one of the few who recover, especially with doctors telling me to ‘drink coffee if you’re tired’ amongst other things.

Typical symptoms include extreme exhaustion (particularly after activity), but it is not a ‘normal’ tired feeling we all experience after a busy day or long walk: it is an ‘ill’ feeling, similar to bad flu.  Other symptoms include muscle pain and weakness, inability to concentrate (‘foggy brain’), headaches, insomnia, noise and light sensitivities and more.

M.E. is recognized by the World Health Organisation as a neurological disease, however many medical professionals still pass it off as a psychological disorder because there is a lack of scientific research into the illness and it’s effects.   Therefore I would like to raise money for ME research UK who are a charity dedicated to funding research into this illness. I want people who have the illness to be treated with some dignity and respect by medical professionals, because it can be frightening when you don't know what's wrong with you and nobody takes you seriously.  With more scientific research, hopefully some treatments and cures can be found for sufferers. 

If you would like to know more about the work of M.E. Research UK, please visit their website www.meresearchuk.org.uk.

So please sponsor me now!