Thank you very much for taking the time to look into my JustGiving page. Any contributions would really mean alot on my mission to raise money on behalf of Fibromyalgia Action UK, or even your time to read and share my page can bring positive awareness to the invisible illness that is Fibromyalgia.

Whilst fibromyalgia is not a condition I personally have to deal with, it is a diagnosis that has really come to the surface in loved ones around me. My girlfriend was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia 1 year ago after coping with many years of joint pains, numbness & tingling, headaches, fatigue and general increased sensitivity to any pain and with constant uncertainty why. Whilst she is strong willed, and fights against it on a day to day basis, what you see is not what she feels.

Sadly, i lost a dear friend of mine 1 year ago, and fibromyalgia was something she also had to deal with quite intensely, but this was not taken seriously in how this was making her feel. There are impacts this condition can really have on someone not only physically but mentally coping.

What I’ve come to realise, is there is a lack of research or awareness on these types of invisible illnesses and I really want to help contribute in making a difference to that. The below is some further information from Fibromyalgia Action UK to help educate further. My training for this half-marathon has begun, and I can’t wait to really help make a difference with all your support.

Fibromyalgia is a recognised chronic condition of widespread pain and profound fatigue. A common illness with an est. prevalence of 2.9% - 4.7%. The pain tends to be felt as diffuse aching or burning, often described as head to toe. It may be worse at some times than at others and may also change location, usually becoming more severe in parts of the body that are used most. Add. symptoms often include: unrefreshing sleep, headaches, irritable bowel, cognitive disturbances, clumsiness, dizziness, allergies, sensitivity to environmental changes.