A great big thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to visit my Big Walk JustGiving page! 

From the 2^nd to the 17^th of September 2015 I will be walking 286 miles (the full Peninne Way, plus a little bit extra) to raise money for research into Pulmonary Hypertension and other lung diseases.

If you're interested to learn more about my blister-inducing team challenge then more information about "The Big Walk" can be found at www.shef.ac.uk/big-walk

In order to help raise some pennies, I am asking any of my students and supporters to "challenge Dr Buck" in exchange for a contribution to the cause. You can challenge me to anything that you are good at/or ask me to take on a fundraising challenge and (within reason) I will do it! It can be as inventive or unusual as you like...be kind :-)

I will be doing my very best to keep you updated with plenty of photos and funny stories of training calamities and challenges in the run up to the event. Of course, there will be updates whilst we are walking the Pennine Way too.

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The gist of it....

A "crack team" of alumni, staff and friends (including little old me and everyone's favourite Spanish speaking ginger Derbyshire man - Steve Waining) will walk the full Pennine Way (including Edale to Sheffield) covering 286 miles in 15 days. On the final day the Staff Challenge will see individuals and teams from the University walk from Edale to Sheffield covering 18 miles (feel free to join us!).

Importantly, we are embarking on this mammoth journey to raise funds for Lung Disease research at the University of Sheffield, specifically for leading research in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension - a life–threatening condition affecting the lungs and the right side of the heart. 

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) is a rare but devastating condition. Sadly, most of the 500 or so patients diagnosed annually in the UK die from progressive heart failure within 5 years.  This is a worse prognosis than most cancers, and although medical therapies can alleviate symptoms and, at best, slow progression there is currently no cure for PAH.

PAH begins when tiny arteries in the lungs become narrowed or blocked. This puts an enormous strain on the heart as it works harder to pump blood through the lungs. PAH is a very serious condition that becomes progressively worse, causing the heart muscle to weaken and eventually fail.

It is this strain on the heart and decrease in the blood through the lungs that causes the majority of symptoms such as breathlessness, fainting, racing pulse and weakness which can significantly affect quality of life. As the disease worsens it becomes difficult for individuals to carry out even normal activities. Ultimately, the disease is fatal without a lung transplant.

Sheffield is a major international centre for the diagnosis, treatment and research of this condition. We are already making exciting discoveries that we hope will lead to better treatments and ultimately defeat this condition. The money we raise from this event will accelerate our research and help us to develop and test new treatments and make them available for patients as quickly as possible. 

Thank you for supporting the Big Walk, together we can make a real difference to the lives of people with pulmonary arterial hypertension. 

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