It is now almost two and a half years ago that I returned from my Christmas holidays, barely being able to breath, having developed a serious allergy to dust mite. It became so bad, that during the last night of our stay we had to keep the windows in our bedroom open so fresh air (it was -20C outside) could come in and help me with breathing. No anti-inflammatory medication or inhalers we found were helping.  

I returned to the UK, and although once I had left the source of dust mite, I felt better, my lungs were seriously damaged. I felt like I had to keep telling myself to breath - it did not come naturally anymore. The biggest shock came when I went to the GP for a Peak Flow test, which measures how fast you can breath out. My result was equivalent with that of a woman of  over 90 years old... I was only 33!

Although I have loved running since my teens, for the past ten years I was always finding a reason why not to go running. I am a Mum and preferred to spend time with my daughter, and if not this excuse, the experiments I was running in the lab were far more important than going for a run.

So, I vowed to myself, that when my lungs would be healed I would start running again. Thanks to proper medication, the inflammation in my lungs has disappeared.  I can breath freely again, I'm running and I'm loving it. It is clear that a great deal of research is still needed to further understand the mechanism behind allergy and asthma, and more drugs are needed to make the life of asthma patients more bearable.

I'm running the Great British 10k run in July to celebrate the fact that I'm healthy, and to make you aware that for some people, breathing does not come naturally and can be a serious struggle. AAIR is a fund that supports research into allergy, asthma and inflammation by providing money for consumables, equipment, PhD studentships,....

To use their words "Asthma can take your breath away...but your gift can give it back".