This February I’m taking steps to raise awareness and funds in aid of the Addison's Disease Self-Help Group (ADSHG).

85km to be exact!

I challenge myself to walk more than double marathon distance over the course of February 2026. That’s just over 20km a week. It may not seem a challenge for some, but since battling with my own health over the last two and a half years, this will really put me through my paces.

I was diagnose with Tertiary Adrenal Insufficiency in the summer of 2025, after suffering the sudden onset of another severe health condition. At the time, steroids were the only option for me to keep my condition under control, which unfortunately, led to the onset of adrenal insufficiency.

I had never heard of this condition before diagnosis. Since then, I’ve had to become an expert in my own condition, advocating for myself and teaching others of its risk of life-threatening consequences.

The journey has been anything but smooth… on the daily, I’m managing time-critical doses of a life-essential hormone, varying levels of energy and concentration, lower quality sleep, and elongated, heightened reactions to common illnesses to say the least. More than once I have been rushed to hospital to avoid Adrenal Crisis, a life-threatening event caused by dangerously low levels of cortisol in the body.

Adjusting to this new way of living on top of other health conditions, becoming a parent and general life has, at times, been mentally, emotionally and physically draining. Not just for me, but for my family and friends too. I’m forever grateful to you all for your support and love.

However, I consider myself one of the lucky ones… there is hope that my adrenal glands may one day wake up and decide they remember how to make the cortisol I have had to replace for so long. Not all who are diagnosed with Addison’s or adrenal insufficiency are so lucky.

This is because Addison’s and Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency are caused by problems with the adrenal glands themselves or the pituitary gland in the brain, rather than being caused by steroids. They are life-long conditions..

There is so much more to understand and research to improve the lives of those with Addison’s and Adrenal Insufficiency. So here I am, taking steps for them. Not to mention getting my own fitness back to pre-diagnosis level!

At the ADSHG, everything they do is driven by a bold vision:

"A world where Addison’s disease and adrenal insufficiency are recognised early and managed effectively so that anyone affected can live confidently and thrive."

With your support, they’re working to make this vision a reality. Every contribution, big or small, makes a real difference to this small but impactful charity!

Thank you - it means so much!