I met Carly at college. We were around 17/18 We were both doing the GNVQ Art and Design at Bishop Auckland. We all had our own little units and were a little family. We would spend breaks and dinners together.

You see, This girl, woman was incredible. She took me for who I was, we
were thick as thieves but there was a shadow over our friendship. Carly
had Cystic Fibrosis. I never saw the illness I saw the person. I adored
her and can’t believe I let her down when I moved to Middlesbrough to do
 my HND and didn’t stay in touch enough. Yes we wrote letters , but I
didn’t come back enough to go out and spend time with her. Carly at the
time had to repeat her course because she had taken a bit of time off.

Anytime Carly got a cold it would knock her for six. But she still tried
her hardest to finish her art course until the illness got the better of
 her and her body couldn't take it any more. I lost her in February
2000. She was 19. So these Races are for her. And for me to say Thank you.

Last year I raised money by running the Leeds 10k for TeamJack. This is how I ended up signing up for the GNR. This year the money goes to the trust itself but I still wanted to remind you of a brave young boy.

This was written last year. Jack is now 7.

Jack is 6, He was diagnosed at 3 weeks. Although Jack looks like any normal 6 year old, on the inside he is fighting to stay alive. He finds it hard to do what we all take fur granted every day. He fights to simply
breathe. Jack takes upwards of 33 tablets a day. Two hours of hard
physio and this is when he is well!! At any time a chest infection can
have him admitted to hospital for weeks of intensive and invasive
treatments. So much for a 6 year old to go through abs even harder
knowing the NHS have declined the wonder drug orkimbi (please spell
check), Our fight is to let people know what cf is, how people live with
 this horrible condition and how it's beatable together xx

Cystic fibrosis is a life-limiting inherited condition caused by a faulty
gene that controls the movement of salt and water in and out of cells.
This causes mucus to gather in the lungs and digestive system and
creates a range of challenging symptoms.

So this year I am running the Great North Run to raise money and awareness of this condition and to remember a great friend and what she gave to me.

So please dig deep and help me raise money.

Thank you