On 11 September 2022, Dennis and I are taking part in the Great North Run to support the work of NASS who help support people living with axial SpA. 

Around 1 in 200 people in the UK live with axial SpA, a painful, progressive form of inflammatory arthritis. Inflammation, where muscles attach to the bones, causes extreme pain, exhaustion and limited movement. 

One of them was our wonderful dad who lived with Ankylosing Spondylitis. He died in May 2021 and it is in his memory that we want to raise funds for NASS 

Axial SpA is an invisible and often misdiagnosed condition, and on average, it takes over eight years to receive a diagnosis. If left untreated, and if symptoms are not managed, axial SpA can permanently fuse the bones. This happened to dad - in his youth he enjoyed sport and was a brilliant footballer. Sadly, he had to hang up his boots in his early twenties because of chronic pain but he wasn’t diagnosed with AS until his late 40s, after enduring that horrendous pain since his teens.

Every penny you donate will help NASS transform the diagnosis, treatment and care of people with axial SpA and help more people live well with the condition sooner.

This is so important to us for two reasons; NASS were a huge source of information and support for dad and mam after dad was diagnosed…and we now know, AS is in our genes, so as a family, we want to improve the outcomes for people with this awful condition.

Thank you so much!

Louise and Den ☺️