I developed tinnitus in 2017 following the death of my little brother, Squirt (Iain), and an extremely stressful 2016 at work. Since then my tinnitus has become a barometer for how stressed I'm feeling, and quite often an early warning to take some time out. I'm not quite friends with it, but we've learned to live with each other.

I have unilateral tinnitus - meaning it is in one ear - although that ear more than makes up for it! I was lucky enough to be referred to a hearing therapist who recommended the British Tinnitus Association as a place to find information and support. And they have been fantastic at both. In the last few years, I've downloaded information about the condition, attended online group support sessions, watched science and research webinars during Tinnitus Week, and more.

I talk and write about tinnitus a lot which has led me to discover that several family members also have it - some for over thirty years. Tinnitus is really common - 1 in 8 people have it in the UK - but often people just live with it, not realising there is help out there.

I'm power walking the Virtual London Marathon to help raise money for the British Tinnitus Association so that they can continue supporting sufferers and funding research. I also hope to raise awareness of the condition and point people in the direction of the BTA so they can learn more about the condition and receive any help they need.

The British Tinnitus Association is the only national charity specialising in tinnitus support. Their vision is a world where no one suffers from tinnitus. They receive no money directly from the government, so are 100% reliant on the generosity and support of members of the public and grant-making organisations to be able to support people with tinnitus across the UK. All of their work is paid for by the generosity of supporters like you.