GBS struck me down last summer. One morning I woke with pins and needles in my fingers and toes. Within a few days I was unable to walk. Paralysed from the chest down but with some use of my arms. I had facial paralysis too which made communicating with my 2 daughters really difficult. I had amazing care at Harrogate District Hospital in the 2 months I spent there. After 7 rounds of plasmaphoresis in ITU, which stopped the progression of the disease, and extensive physiotherapy, my body started to heal itself. I learnt to walk again and said that if I was ever able to run again I had to run a marathon! 

A bit more info about GBS and GAIN.....

Guillain-Barré syndrome is an acute autoimmune condition affecting the peripheral nervous system. It causes the nerves in the arms and legs to become inflamed and stop working, often leading to paralysis. An estimated 1-2 people per 100,000 are affected by GBS each year with a further 1-2 per 200,000 being diagnosed with CIDP, a chronic variant of the syndrome. About 80% of those with GBS will make a good recovery, but between 5-10% will not survive and another 10-15% may experience long term residual effects ranging from limited mobility or dexterity, to life-long dependency on a wheelchair. GAIN is the only national organisation dedicated to supporting people affected by these conditions throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland. What we do: Help people understand and manage GBS, CIDP and the associated variants promote and facilitate both clinical and non-clinical research and to raise awareness of the conditions.