I’m climbing Snowdon at the end of this month - not a big deal, but not something I am particularly keen on doing. It’s not the Three Peaks, it’s just a tough walk, but it holds some special significance for me.

A few years ago, I was at the height of my physical fitness and enjoying my life pre-pandemic as a mid-twenties woman in London. Unfortunately, I was hit hard by ever increasing migraine attacks due to a stressful job that then went nuclear during 2020. I was suffering with 15+ days of migraine attacks every month and it changed everything. I gained 20kg, lost all my physical fitness and at times, became practically bed bound. I tried to keep going, I remember periods at work where I sat in the toilets with my head in my hands, crying with such force that I could hear my tears and snot splattering on the floor.

I won’t go in to the details of the specific symptoms of migraine or what it took from me, but it was the discovery of the Heads Up podcast by the Migraine Trust that started me on my road to recovery. The Migraine Trust were also the only medical service that were able to help and diagnose me earlier this year so that I could navigate the NHS when I had an unrelated ‘cerebral spinal fluid leak’ (CSF leak) that hospitalised me for 6 weeks and resulted in spinal surgery.

I am climbing Snowdon this month with a band of women I met at a ladies weightlifting class in Shepperton when I was tentatively trying to find my way back in to fitness. 2 years ago, when I started, this climb would have been impossible, because migraine would have made it so. Earlier this year, this climb would have been impossible, because I was immobilised. The Migraine Trust have been there to help me up with both of these huge challenges and it seems only right I should try and give something back.

Anything you can spare is enormously appreciated; this climb may not be a huge deal, but it’s a huge deal for me.