In a visit to the Peak District a year ago I decided to challenge myself to face some of my physical and mental obstacles. As the first step in a year of walking I walked the Turks Head 10K in Twickenham in June 2018 (and also repeated this in June 2019). When I talked about entering the race, a few friends asked me if they could 'sponsor' me. So I've chosen to support Steps - who provide information and support for people who've been affected by childhood lower leg conditions, like me.
It's plain to see that I walk a bit differently. I was born with severe Developmental Dysplasia of the Hips (DDH). In plain English this means that my hip joints didn’t form properly before I was born. Walking is not something I do with ease, speed or for more than a couple of hours. But I'm slowly learning that we often create our own limitations, and I wanted to challenge mine.
I've launched a blog called diff-abled.co.uk to share my challenges as I walk 100 miles of the South Downs Way. You can also follow this blog on Facebook and Twitter: @WalkingJill
I want to raise £3830, which based on the number of steps walked so far, would be £1 for every 100 steps of the South Downs Way.
Thanks to everyone who's supported me so far on this journey.
