In April 2024, Abbie and I will be taking on the TCS London Marathon, in support of Muscular Dystrophy UK (MDUK). We’re excited to be teaming up and raising money for such an important cause to our family, and we wanted to share a little bit more about why.

(This is the bit where you think ‘time to throw all my money behind them’.)

Throughout our childhood my dad, Andy, would often mysteriously fall, often from out of nowhere. Despite us laughing and joking around about it, it kept happening; increasingly concerned, he went to get answers. In October of 2020, he was diagnosed with Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD is a lot easier to spell), a type of muscular dystrophy caused by genetic mutation. FSHD and all other types of muscular dystrophy cause various groups of muscles in the body to weaken and waste away.

Abbie and I found out about our dad’s diagnosis a couple months later, after he took some time to understand and accept the new reality of life he was going to have to lead – the strength he has showed through this, coupled with his humour about the topic is something I will forever be proud and admiring of. After the initial shock had passed, we were presented with a choice whether to undergo genetic testing to see if we had inherited the mutated gene responsible for the condition – with it being genetic, it was a straight 50/50 shootout.

Abbie came back all clear, I didn’t. It’s a funny feeling receiving news like that, you’re not sure how to feel, on the one hand you worry for things in your future, and things that you love doing like sport, you don’t know how long you’ll be able to do them for, but on the other you feel you’re no different to when you didn’t know. There’s no telling to what extent the condition will affect me in life – extreme or not, and while that’s the case I want to keep feeling positive about the future ahead. There’s no cure for the condition at the moment, but we’re hopeful that with ever-increasing funding and research, one day the breakthrough will come.

So why the marathon?

90% of FSHD patients have symptoms begin before 20 – being 21 and with sport forming a huge social part of my life this is one of the things that concerned me most. Since I can remember, sport has been one of my biggest passions in life, watching or playing (albeit not very well). You name a sport and I’m there. I even got FOMO watching Abbie do the marathon last year, I think you have to be sport-obsessed for that to happen.

So, what better way to take on this massive challenge then raising money for a cause that will help mine and many others families in years to come. We really appreciate all your support, both over the last 3 years and now.

London tarmac you better watch out, these 1’s and 2’s are coming to tear you up.