In April I will be taking on the challenge of running the Brighton Marathon to raise funds for Endometriosis UK. As a bit of a novice runner (I am absolutely petrified!) I am looking forward to training and running my first ever marathon. Hopefully along the way I can raise some money for those suffering gynaecological conditions, as I really understand the impact this can have on your day to day life. I simply wouldn't have been well enough to run a marathon a few years ago and I am extremely grateful to even be in a position to train for something I have always wanted to do. Part of this for me is also about raising awareness, often through conversations with friends they too have similarly struggled and yet few get the help or diagnosis's they need. Hopefully one day we will know and understand a lot more about the conditions affecting so many women.

Endometriosis is the name given to the condition where cells similar to the ones in the lining of the womb (uterus) are found elsewhere in the body. It is a chronic and often debilitating condition that can cause extreme pain and fatigue amongst several other symptoms. Endometriosis affects 1 in 10 women, that's as many as diabetes yet very few people have even heard of it.

It takes an average of eight years to get a diagnosis of endometriosis in the UK, and that is too long. Your donations will mean that Endometriosis UK can continue to support those affected by Endometriosis through information sharing, medical research, campaigning for change, fairer treatment, and eventually a cure.