26 years ago, whilst she was pregnant with me, my mum was diagnosed with a genetic eye condition called retinitis pigmentosa. She was told she was losing her sight, and that she would likely never see her children grow up. Overnight, she lost her independence; she could no longer drive and she could not continue her job as a primary school teacher. With two young daughters at home, and her third on the way, her world was falling apart. That is, until, she was put in touch with Guide Dogs.

In 2002, my mum was partnered with a wonderful Labrador called Wanda. Wanda truly did it all: she helped mum walk us to school; she sat patiently at the side of the pool whilst mum took us swimming; she came along to every school concert we had! Most importantly, she gave my mum the confidence to get back out into the world. She attended night-classes with my mum, and eventually graduated with her in Counselling. In recognition of Wanda’s amazing work for our family, she was awarded the very first Guide Dog of the year in 2005 - which got Wanda her very own Blue Peter badge!

When Wanda started to slow down, she hung up her harness and lived out her golden years as a family pet. My mum has since had two more Guide Dogs, Eddie (a super energetic and fun-loving Collie X who sadly passed away in 2022) and her current Guide Dog, Meadow (a gorgeous German Shepherd X who is the smartest pup I’ve ever met!). These amazing dogs have given my mum her freedom back. She has perused her dream career in supporting the mental health of those with sight loss (she is now a Professor!), and Guide Dogs have allowed her to enjoy her time raising us.

That is why I will be running for Guide Dogs in the 2026 London Marathon! I am absolutely rubbish at running, and I can’t get through the day without a sweet treat. Running a marathon will be the biggest mental and physical challenge I have faced so far - so please help me make all of my blood, sweat and (lots of) tears worth it by helping me support Guide Dogs.

Guide Dogs wouldn't be here without you. Their life-changing services depend on donations so thank you for supporting them!

Here’s how your sponsorship could help:

£125 could buy a starter kit for a new guide dog owner, containing everything they need to start life with their new dog.

£451 could provide the parents of a child with a vision impairment with ten sessions of support.

£1000 could pay for an entire family to attend our Family weekend, where they can access specialist support and meet other families in similar situations.