Despite the friendly smile, my brother Chris who is now 55, has been fighting a daily battle since the age of 16 against the terrible and debilitating illness of Schizophrenia. The illness is cruel in the extreme and has devastating effects on the individual. Chris hears constant voices which are very real to him and which exhaust him in his efforts to try and silence them. He fights a continual and unrelenting daily battle aided by a cocktail of medication which sometimes helps but which also can bring unwanted and difficult side effects. Chris has been facing this daily fight for 40 years now. Before the illness struck he was the cleverest, kindest (and best at Sport) of all three Wyatt brothers. The picture below was taken in his early School days. Chris is on the right with his other brother John in the centre.

This next photo is from a Scottish family holiday. Chris is in the centre.

Below is the last picture we have before the illness began. Not a care in the world pictured (left) with our late Dad. We suspect Chris is laughing at the haircuts.....

Since the start of his illness, Chris has been well cared for in York and has managed to create a life for himself despite limited resources and finding the balance between battling his voices and coping with the side effects of his medication. His daily routine involves visits to Costa, shopping for bargains and saving money so he can afford to watch his beloved Hartlepool United at the weekend.

Here are two photos of Chris and his nephew Archie at recent Hartlepool matches.

Before he became ill Chris was able to travel abroad which he absolutely loved and often speaks about. If he were asked what he would like to do most now it would be a holiday in the sun. This isn't an easy or a cheap undertaking. It would involve two professional carers accompanying him to ensure his medication is balanced and his own safety is assured. I'm hoping that people will see what a fantastic adventure this would be for him and will help in whatever they can.

I'm attempting to run from Land's End to John O'Groats between June 1st and July 5th this year. This is an average of 33 miles per day for 6 days with the 7th day being a rest day. The total distance is 1000 miles. There will be twenty four others running for their individual causes. Here's the video preview for 2024 plus the Routemap.

I will be wearing a live tracker for my own safety and so my progress can be followed. I'd prefer not to be watched as my navigation skills might ensure I will probably end up in Norwich. What I would really prefer would be Chris to be able to see some sunshine on the back of any donations given, no matter how small. Any excess will be used to ensure Chris is a little more comfortable in his daily life by supplementing his disability benefit and thereby ensuring he can treat himself to some extra cake with his Costa! Compared to what Chris is continually battling, my attempt is like a stroll around a small garden. Please help me if you can. Even if you don't feel able to contribute perhaps you could share Chris' story on your social media. The more who learn about him the better. Thank you for reading this.