I feel very privileged and proud to be part of #TeamBreathe and to have been given one of the British Lung Foundations London Marathon places. I am really excited to get going and to do this for my little girl.

I have had so much help from the British Lung Foundation, from nurses & staff - over the phone, by email, website and from their fantastic events team who truly give the best support!   I’d be lost without them and truly appreciate all they do for us both.  .I can only have hope with my little girls rare lung disease that a cure and progress will be made and that her future will be brighter. 

She was diagnosed in January 2019 with a rare lung disease called Bronchiolitis Obliterans which is an Interstitial Lung Disease and she was also diagnosed with asthma in July 2019.     She also now has been diagnosed with another rare condition called plastic bronchitis & also bronchiectasis at a recent appointment (October 2020)  and unfortunately her lungs are now showing there is progression/worsening in all areas of her lungs.

She also has atelectasis (scarring & folding) in the top of her right lung, autism and other things that are being looked at.   She now is under specialist physiotherapists and has a hard set of daily physio with devices and nebulisers daily as well as medicines and steriods.   It has been a very long process so far and is still ongoing - she struggles most days and is my inspiration to keep going and keep raising money and awareness. I am doing this for her, my brave little girl. 

I don’t come across many children with rare lung diseases and thanks to the British Lung Foundation I have been put in touch with a group called chILD UK, this group help anyone with a rare lung disease under the umbrella of chILD (children’s interstitial lung disease), I want to take this opportunity to raise awareness of this charity & group - We are small but mighty.

The British Lung Foundation have also given me many opportunities to raise awareness of lung diseases in children and I have had a blog made as well as a video to speak up about this. Every little thing helps and I will keep battling and striving to raise awareness for children with poorly lungs.

Due to the pandemic and risks I won’t be running the London Marathon until April 2022 now, I will keep fundraising up until that date. I want to make sure we have as low risk as possible with running and enjoying the event, I think the extra time will help me to make safer choices for my family and to keep my little girl safe.

Thank you for reading and for helping me with my target, you truly are a British Lung Foundation hero and a hero of mine.