24/04: UPDATE

LON-DONE!!! What an extraordinary day Sunday was. If you're going to do a hot London marathon, why not make it the HOTTEST EVER, I say! The crowds were out of this world, the weather was a dream (if I was sunbathing rather than running...), and the friends and family who sent messages of support, and who I saw on the route- you are all amazing xxx

Thanks to everyone who’s sponsored me so far to raise money for Huntington’s Disease- whereas my marathon journey has finished, Philippa’s journey with Huntington’s goes on. Have a look at the HDA's website to find out about the work they do: https://www.hda.org.uk/

It's not too late to sponsor- see below for why I ran on Sunday: 

I came to running later in life, and until I was about 30 I always said I would rather miss the bus, than run for it.

Philippa was the opposite. We met at our first jobs out of uni, and she used to run home after work, a concept completely alien to me. She did sports studies at uni, and she met her now husband in the gym, and health and physical activity were so much a natural part of her life that I called her Sport Philly- whilst I still considered a bottle of naff house white and some Pringles to be a balanced diet (*she did that too. Just not as often as me. And with exercise on the side).

20 (ouch) years on from those heady graduate days, against the odds I have won a place in the 2018 London Marathon ballot, and I’ll be running for the Huntington’s Disease Association, to help raise money for the disease from which Philippa is now suffering. 

You might not know much about Huntington’s- I didn’t myself, until the day that Philippa told me about her diagnosis. I would suggest you Google it to find out more- essentially, it is a hereditary disorder of the central nervous system, and can cause a wide range of symptoms, including movement disorders, cognitive disorders, psychiatric disorders, impaired posture and balance, difficulty with speech and swallowing. Sadly, the list is long.



Unfortunately there is no cure for Huntington's, and there is no treatment that can slow down the condition. There is currently ongoing research, and there has been a very recent breakthrough into potential ways to slow down or even halt the disease, by "switching off" the faulty gene that causes it. However, money is needed to carry out more vital research for this.

The HDA funds research into finding a cure to this disease, and provides care and support for many people affected with this condition, and their families. Philippa and Damion continue to be an inspiration with their daily battle with all that this condition throws at them. 

I know, that were circumstances different, Philippa wouldn’t be running the marathon with me, she’d be kicking my butt and I wouldn’t see her for dust- but that aside, the very least I can do as her friend is run and fundraise for a cause that in a very tangible way could help her and her family- especially with the new breakthrough.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

Any help you can give in eradicating this disease would be so appreciated. Thank you- and I’ll see you at the finish line! 

You can read about how training is going at my blog, Running In Heels; www.katieruocco.wordpress.com