On the 1st October 2023 I will be running the Cardiff Half Marathon for NASS (the National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society), a charity that has become important to me over the past couple of years.

After 5 years of symptoms and misdiagnosis I found out I had AS. The resources and support NASS offers have been great at helping me understand the condition, treatment options, and how to manage it. I am now on biological treatment which can only be described as transformative - I haven’t had bad nerve pain in two years and am back running and enjoying sport. 

I cannot thank the NHS enough for the care and treatment I have received, but there is a long way to go to raise awareness for this condition. 1 in 200 of the adult population in the UK have AS, and the current average delay to diagnosis from when symptoms start is 8.5 years, by which time irreversible damage to the spine may have occurred. 

All donations are greatly appreciated and will help to improve research, diagnosis, treatment and care for people living with AS.

Many thanks,

Cesca