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On 10th, 11th and 12th September, I will be completing the Goggins 4-4-48 Challenge, a running (walking) challenge. The challenge is to run 4 Miles, every 4 Hours, for 48 Hours.

I will be doing this for 3 different reasons:

To raise money to fund an new electric wheelchair and physio therapy sessions for my mum;

To raise that much needed awareness about Lupus, and the realities of living with Lupus;

To show support to my mum, showing her that she is not alone.

My mum and her Lupus Story

In January 2016, my mum, Kelly, aged only 37, collapsed at work. She was healthy and active, and no one saw it coming. She now lives with severe Systematic Lupus (SLE) , an autoimmune disease that attacks the body's immune system daily and has no cure.

Story

When my mum was taken to the ward, she was in an unresponsive state for many weeks. She couldn't speak, open her eyes or move. The doctors believed that she had suffered a stroke. When she finally came around, she still couldn't move her right side and struggled to communicate. Over the last 5 years, specialists and consultants both in Bradford and Leeds, and London have struggled to pin point what it is that my mum has. They have believed it to be an autoimmune disease but not ruled it to be anything specific. Doing continuous testing and biopsies to pin point the illness. Taking an extensive amount of medication, just to ease some of the pain. Not having a proper diagnosis for 5 years has probably been one of the most difficult parts for my mum. After 5 and a half years, she has now been clinically diagnosed with Systematic Lupus on the severe scale.

The illness effects her day to day life. She has had to adapt to this new different and difficult way of life. From having carers and support workers in our home, assisting her, through to having to use a zimmer frame to get around the house, and a wheelchair to get to places. The challenges of living with lupus increase your risk of depression and related mental health problems, such as anxiety, stress and low self-esteem.

During the first few years of her illness, she used a manual push wheelchair. She always said to me that she felt like she had no independence left. A couple of years ago she was kindly given an electric wheelchair by Kirkless Council. This has given her the much needed sense of independence back. Unfortunately, the wheelchair had a limited life span, and is now unfit for purpose and doesn't function properly due to the battery no longer working. Sadly, there is no funding for a replacement. With both a new electric wheelchair and more intense physio therapy sessions again, we hope this will help make life manageable.

My mum and other Lupus sufferers faces physical and mental challenges every minute of every day. It is an illness that has taken away her independence and the active life she had in her 30s. In life, we truly take for granted normal activities that we can do for ourselves, like walking, catching a bus, showering. It is put into perspective when this is taken away from someone you love.

Any donations will be truly appreciated. If anyone would like to join in with me for part of the challenge to run/walk/zimmer would be very much welcomed. Virtually or in person.

Thank you x