I'm going to attempt to run an entire marathon in May. Twenty-six point two miles. The .2 is the hardest bit I imagine so can't be missed off.

I've started training this month and to keep me motivated decided to try and raise some sponsorship to donate to a worthy cause. But which one? There are so many! Previous runs I have raised funds for mental health charities such as Andy's Man Club and CALM but this time, I thought I'd try to gather some valuable support and raise awareness for a charity you don't often see in mainstream fundraising efforts, ME Research.

After experiencing second-hand what myalgic encephalitis (ME) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) can do to people's lives, I know that any research into causes and treatments will be so welcomed by the entire ME/CFS community and their loved ones.

Millions of people are reporting to suffer with long COVID, a condition with similar symptoms to ME. But around 250,000 people in the UK have been living with ME/CFS since long before COVID arrived. In up to 80% of cases, ME is triggered by a virus and is reported to lead to the lowest quality of life amongst all diseases measured, including various cancers, lupus, chronic renal failure, heart disease, and more. I know how devastating it can be, I've seen it. We need more research into ME, so those already struggling with the mental and physical fatigue and pain don't have to spend their spoons on doing it themselves. (For more info about the spoon theory - https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-is-spoon-theory-6822953)

ME Awareness Day is on the 12th May, only 2 days before the marathon, so I'm going to try and raise the profile of this condition as much as I can while I drag myself around Leeds.

Thanks so much for reading, sharing, and donating where you can!

For more information about ME/CFS visit:

meaction.net/about

meresearch.org.uk 

A little from ME Research:

"....doctors do not treat us and science does not study us. How could a disease this common and this devastating have been forgotten by medicine?" Jennifer Brea

ME Research UK believes that only biomedical research can find the causes of ME/CFS, improve diagnosis and treatment, and, ultimately, arrive at a cure. That’s why research is our focus. We've awarded 57 grants since 2000 and invested over £2.2million. But research is expensive and becoming more so every day. That’s the challenge we face, and that’s why we need your help.