Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I have been given an amazing opportunity - I have been offered to run the Virgin London Marathon on behalf of the charity 'Myasthenia Gravis (MG) Assiocation'.

Why is this important to me...

My Mother, Julie - Her story.

On first appearance, many of you would not realise that my Mother is diagnosed with MG.

Myasthenia Gravis is an autoimmune condition that affects the nerves and muscles. Autonimmune conditions are caused by the body's immune system mistakenly attacking healthy tissue. The main symptom is weakness.

My Mum was diagnosed three months after my birth in June having struggled with the symptoms throughout her pregnancy. MG is not easily recognised or diagnosed as it is a rare condition (1 in every 10,000).

My Mum's symptoms began during her pregnancy with me - it started with speech problems where it made it difficult for people to understand what my Mum was saying. This was due to muscle weakness in her tongue. This then led on to eye and facial weakness, and continued to affect her swallowing and breathing - meaning she would choke on sips of water. If you would like more detail on the condition, please have a read of http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Myasthenia-gravis/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Three months after my birth, my Mum was diagnosed and admitted into The National Hospital in Queen's Square, London for plasma exchanges - which entailed a 5 day course of plasma exchanges. She went on to have a further three lots of plasma exchanges before the decision was made to have an operation, known as a Thymectomy, as her symptoms would only improve a week at a time with the plasma. The operation in November involved going through her chest wall to remove the thymus gland. This was done in attempt to help her weakness recover in the long run.

Following the operation, my Mother spent a couple of months in hospital. She was cared for in Intensive Care, including by Physiotherapists - one of the many influences in my decision to become a Physiotherapist.

Thankfully, my Mum's operation was successful. She has remained stable following these events and is well looked after with lots of medications and regular appointments.

As you can imagine, this was a difficult time for my Mother and all the family. Suffereing with symptoms that had no diagnosis. Having an operation that might help with no promise that it would. Stuck in hospital for months whilst my sister and I were at home.

My Mum and the support and help the MGA have provided her are the reasons I want to run the Virgin London Marathon. I have been fortunate enough to have been offered this opportunity - but it was offered in January 2014 and I have done no training.

I have a lot of training to do and a Mum and charity that I want to support.

Please if you can, donate and help me achieve my target of £1500. I need to get £1500 in order to run. It is going to a great cause and will mean so much to myself, my Mother, family and the MGA.

Many thanks - Mike Exford. 

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