It's twenty years since I was diagnosed Crohn's disease.  I’m running the London Marathon to help raise money for Crohn’s and Colitis, so they can fund research into the condition and help raise awareness of these difficult illnesses.

Running a marathon is a challenge for most healthy, fit individuals but taking on the 26.2 miles with Crohn’s disease is like trying to win a F1 race in a reasonably priced, family hatchback with the handbrake on.  

On the 10th March, I ran 21 miles from Wharfedale Hospital in Otley to St James's Hospital in Leeds.  Along the way, I called into the other 6 hospitals run by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

I was joined on the route by doctors and nurses from the IBD service at St James's Hospital, as well as fellow patients who are treated in Leeds.  The medical team at Jimmies have helped me enormously in recent years and I'm humbled they've given up their time so generously to support the fundraising.  I'm told there aren't many examples of a patient doing a charity run with their consultant and specialist nurse  - so maybe this will be a first of some kind?

Crohn’s and Colitis UK is the UK’s leading charity funding research into Inflammatory Bowel Disease and all the money raised will be used to support future research projects designed to improve the lives of patients.

The charity currently fund a number of research projects in Leeds, including one which aims to reduce the bowel cancer risk in patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease and another that will help doctors recommend more relevant pain relief for individuals with chronic pain as a result of their Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis.

These projects are only possible because of the funding provided by Crohn's and Colitis UK.  I've met with the researchers carrying out the work in Leeds and in the run up to the Marathon i'll be blogging (at www.patientrun.co.uk) about the impact their work is having. The projects have the potential to make a real difference to the lives of patients in Leeds, across the UK and internationally.

£113 can pay for one extra day of research and it would be great if, together, we could raise enough money to pay for the equivalent of 26.2 days of research.

What is IBD, Crohn's disease and Ulcerative Colitis?

Crohn's disease and Ulcerative Colitis cause your digestive system to stop working properly.  

Both conditions are types of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), where the lining of the digestive tract becomes inflamed.  This inflammation causes pain, bleeding and difficulty in absorbing the good stuff your food is supposed to give you.  

Dealing with the physical symptoms is hard enough, but the condition brings with it a set of psychological challenges which test even the strongest of individuals.  That sounds a bit like how I expect running a marathon will be.

Crohn’s and Colitis UK work tirelessly across the UK to raise awareness of the conditions and provide first hand information and support to newly diagnosed individuals.  If any other reason is needed, this is also why I want to raise money for this amazing charity - to help raise awareness of these conditions and help people feel supported in their journey back to health.

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 Crohn's and Colitis UK. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.