Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I am running the London Marathon for the first time on 3rd October 2021! I am so excited to be personally chosen by The Encephalitis Society to raise much needed funds in aid their aid. As the charity only receives one place every 5 years at the London Marathon, I am honoured that they have chosen me.

I am running to raise money for The Encephalitis Society to raise awareness of this devastating illness and show those affected that they are not alone by making them aware of sources such as The Encephalitis Society. The Encephalitis Society's mission is to improve the quality of life for those affected directly and indirectly by encephalitis by providing support and information, raising awareness, and conducting research. They have a dedicated helpline, and host a variety of events to raise awareness: they are committed to what they do, and need more publicity to provide their help and show those affected by encephalitis they are not alone. For more information on the charity, please visit http://www.encephalitis.info/

Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain, the inflammation being caused either by an infection invading the brain (infectious); or through the immune system attacking the brain in error (post-infectious or autoimmune encephalitis). Sadly, encephalitis is commonly misdiagnosed. There are many effects from encephalitis, including death, and no two cases are the same.

I was diagnosed with mycoplasma encephalitis at the age of 2, so I know too well how much it changes the lives of those who contract the illness and their loved ones. The most obvious affects are my speech impairment and hearing loss (I have no hearing in my right ear and wear a hearing aid in my left ear). More of my effects that are not immediately obvious are: memory problems; problems with daily living skills (including socialising, cooking, dealing with finances); poor mental stamina; difficulty processing and understanding information; cognitive problems; problems with new learning; difficulty processing my thoughts into speech.

Please help me to raise awareness of encephalitis and The Encephalitis Society by donating what you can. Thank you in advance!

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.