This year I'll be running in my first ever half marathon, the Finsbury Park Half on Sunday 16th June.

This is also the first time I have looked to raise money for charity on my own accord, instead of asking you to donate to one of my short films!

I am hoping I can use this fundraiser to achieve a few things: to raise awareness, to educate and create a lasting impact. I have never really been good with words; explaining my families situation to those I meet in life isn't something I have been too keen on doing. Therefore this fundraiser and the half marathon can act as my mouthpiece.

The run will be in aid of Huntington's Disease Association. You may ask "Who are the HDA?" and fundamentally "What is HD?" and I can provide a simplified explanation for you as well as a link to the association so that you may seek further information in your own time.

Simplified Definition - "Huntington's disease (HD) is an illness caused by a faulty gene in your DNA. It is a progressive, neurodegenerative disorder that effects the brain. It is inherited, meaning it is passed down through families. HD typically begins to manifest symptoms in adulthood, usually between the ages of 30 and 50, although it can sometimes develop earlier or later"

In 2013 I found out that my father has Huntington's Disease and that me and my siblings have a 50/50 chance of having inherited the faulty gene. I have since watched my father slowly losing his battle and I have thought of my dad's mental and physical degeneration as something I couldn't impact upon. I was wrong, I should have been spreading awareness a long time ago but selfishly, it has taken me a while to speak up and younger Aidan's distant future is now very much a reality.

Running continues to positively endorse my mental and physical health and I can see why there are so many thousands of people who lean upon it for support. This year is shaping up to signify a prominent meeting point in my life, I too will be getting tested for HD at a time in which my family is caring and supporting my father in a period of rapid degeneration.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and provide a whole lot of generosity and compassion to better understand this disease and support my challenge. As mentioned, I will provide some links to those interested in finding out more about HD and how you can support those who may be impacted.

Links:

(HD Website) https://www.hda.org.uk/

(HDA's Facebook page) https://www.facebook.com/HuntingtonsDiseaseAssociation

(HDA's Instagram) @huntingtonsdiseaseassociation

(HDA's TikTok) hda_uk