This year, I wanted to take on a challenge to mark the 20th anniversary of when I contracted Meningitis to  fundraise for Meningitis Now.

I was 13 when I contracted the deadly disease meningococcal septicaemia. One Monday I was at school as normal with my friends and by Wednesday I was in a coma with my parents being told to expert the worse. 

Once I turned a corner after being in a coma for 5 days, I made a really speedy recovery and was lucky to leave the hospital a week later with just a small amount of nerve damage and short term memory loss. 

I was one of the lucky ones. 

But it was one of those experiences that changed me forever. Not only having to navigate the physical impacts and recovery for years afterwards but also the huge emotional and mental impact going through such a thing has on a child.

Despite this, once I walked out of the hospital, I had no support to help me process what happened other than my family. I had just one follow up appointment with doctors a few months later. Looking back now, I can see I struggled for years afterwards.

It’s for this reason that I really wanted to mark the 20 years since by taking on a challenge to raise money for Meningitis Now, a charity that does incredible work supporting children and young adults who contract the disease.

I’ve never considered myself a runner and I have always found it extremely challenging, hence why I thought it was a suitable challenge to mark the occasion!

I am already running longer and further than I ever have before. Every donation, however small, will help spur me on during the final couple (and very challenging!) months of my training before I run the Hackney Half Marathon in May.

Thank you for your support :)