Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I am taking on the 'lamppost challenge' to raise funds for, and increase awareness of, CFS/ME.  Follow my progress at http://www.facebook.com/makeMEhistory

This disease has hit my family hard with myself, my daughter and my sister all affected, along with 250,000 other people in the UK.

As a suffer myself, I have been unable to join my friends on their 100 km Race to the Stones.  Determined to do what I can, I will be tackling what to me is a significant challenge. Starting on 12th May 2015, I will be walking to the nearest lamppost on my side of the road 100 times. I will cover only a tenth of the distance they manage, taking months not days.

To those of you who are running marathons, doing triathlons, climbing mountains and cycling vast distances, this may seem a trivial undertaking.  I can assure you it is not. To achieve this I will need to pace my energy carefully, ensuring that I reserve sufficient for the essentials, namely caring for my children.

If I wish to avoid crossing the road, the journey to the nearest lamp and back is 100 m.  I can manage this trip on 'good' days only. This will count as one trip.  On 'ok' days, I will walk to the nearest lamp opposite my house.  This trip is about 50 m so, to be fair,  I will count it as a half trip.  On bad days I cannot make it to either lamp.

My plan is to attempt to reach one lamp a day, aiming to complete the challenge in a few months.  Should I improve, I may finish sooner, should I get worse, I will complete the challenge using a wheelchair.  When you have CFS/ME, predicting what your health will do next is impossible.

CFS/M.E. is a long-term, fluctuating illness affecting men, women and children.  There are currently limited treatments and no cure. This is a horrible illness. There may be no visible signs of the pain and relentless exhaustion, but for those who are severely affected, M.E. can be as disabling as advanced multiple sclerosis, leaving suffers bedbound and reliant on carers to survive.

I am raising money for Action for M.E., the UK’s leading charity for people with M.E. and their carers. They provide support and information to people with M.E. while campaigning hard for better public services and more research into the illness.  Please give generously to help all those affected. Thank you.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.