On Sunday 11 October 2026, I’ll be running the Royal Parks Half Marathon in support of Epilepsy Society.

This is a cause that is very personal to me.

In May 2017, I had a seizure that led to my epilepsy diagnosis. What followed were many more seizures while doctors worked to stabilise things. My epilepsy is controlled through anti-epileptic medication (AEDs) and despite a couple of bumps in the road, by September 2019 I was back driving and life began to feel steady again.

I know how fortunate I’ve been to reach that position. For many people living with epilepsy, achieving stability can take far longer — and sometimes remains out of reach.

For more than six years, things were stable.

Then on 12 December 2025, I had a breakthrough seizure — a reminder that epilepsy is something that is managed rather than cured. Medication can control it very effectively, but there is always an underlying uncertainty.

Epilepsy brings with it a level of anxiety that is difficult to explain unless you’ve experienced it. After the breakthrough seizure in December, I found myself in a particularly low place. It’s hard not to question what comes next.

It was during that period that I signed up to run the Royal Parks Half Marathon. In part it was about giving myself something to focus on — if not quite look forward to. But it also felt right to do it in support of Epilepsy Society, a charity that has done so much to support people living with this condition.

Running has become an important part of restoring my confidence and brings many benefits in helping me manage the condition. After recovering from spinal surgery in the past year, running wasn't on the radar, and a half marathon certainly wasn’t something I imagined I would be preparing for.

But here I am.

There’s also something fitting about the route itself. The race winds through places that are very familiar to me, having delivered a number of public realm landscape projects in the parks and this part of the city over the years.

This run isn’t about chasing times (although a sub-two-hour finish would be nice) — it’s about supporting others living with epilepsy.

The Epilepsy Society does incredible work supporting the 630,000 people in the UK living with epilepsy, funding research and providing specialist care and guidance to individuals and families navigating the condition.

If you are able to donate, whatever the amount, I would be incredibly grateful. Your support will help fund vital research and support for people living with epilepsy.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and for any support you can give.