Our wonderful friend Liz has signed up to do the Great North Run (Half Marathon!) on the 13th September and raise money for Lupus UK. This year due to Covid it will be run virtually with a tracker. Everyone will run at the same time and there will be live interactions throughout.

Liz has been doing Parkrun and challenging herself more and more, this is her biggest challenge yet (she's not sure she can do it, I know she can as she is very determined!). We're so grateful to her for raising money  for Lupus UK in honour of Vicky, please support her if you can. Lupus UK is a small charity doing wonderful things, they have been a lot of support to us since Vicky's diagnosis.

I can't imagine being 20 and having to deal with this, most days she does it with a smile on her face, we are incredibly proud of her 🥰

Please read Vicky's biography below and check out the gallery photos of her and the lovely Liz ❤️

Thank you for reading,

Helen x

My name is Vicky and I am 20 years old. I have two types of a rare condition called Lupus (SLE and DLE) .

There is no cure for Lupus, only medications to help control the symptoms. I currently take Hydroxychloroquine and Mycophenolate to control my symptoms, but it’s not working so I will be starting Methotrexate injections next week.

My symptoms include rashes on my face and body that look like I have been the victim of an acid attack, they can pop up at any time, but almost definitely after I have been in UV light (even with factor 50 sunscreen). The lights in Asda affect my face!

I nearly always wear a hat, and our house has every window covered in UV blocking film. Until I am in remission it is impossible for me to live a normal life, I can’t go out with my friends unless I take the consequences of a massive flare. My mouth is full of ulcers, my body aches, my lymph glands are swollen and I get random fevers for no reason. I regularly get migraines that make me sick and I am nearly always tired, but barely sleep at night. 

For me the rashes are the worst part, I can cover an SLE flare with heavy makeup, but a DLE flare usually blisters and cannot be covered. I have to get on with life, but it does affect my confidence and mental health sometimes.

I am currently at university studying Pharmaceutical Science, I hope that one day I can help to work on a cure!

Thank you for reading my story and thank you to Liz for taking on this challenge. I am very grateful and humbled that she chose Lupus UK as her charity xx

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

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