In February 2021, my life changed when I was diagnosed with Addison's Disease — a rare autoimmune condition where the adrenal glands cease to function, leaving the body unable to produce enough of the essential steroid hormones it needs to survive. Only around 8,000 people in the UK are living with Addison's, and for many, the road to diagnosis is long, exhausting, and often misunderstood.

Living with Addison's means daily medication to replace the hormones my body can no longer make, careful management of stress and illness, and a constant awareness of my body that most people never have to think about. It is invisible to the outside world, but it shapes every single day. That is exactly why I want to use this challenge to shine a light on it.

In July, I will be climbing Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa at 5,895 metres. I will be taking on this challenge as part of a team from Foundry, the gym where I work as a personal trainer. Guided by the expert team at Legend Expeditions, who will be with us every step of the way. It will be the biggest physical and mental challenge I have ever taken on. I will be doing it with a condition that makes altitude and physical exertion something I have to plan for far more carefully than most.

Every step I take up that mountain is for everyone living with Addison's Disease who has ever been told their illness is too rare, too invisible, or too hard to explain.

Every penny raised will go directly to Addison's Disease UK, supporting research, awareness, and the community of people navigating life with this condition. If you have ever supported me, trained with me, or simply want to back a cause that truly matters — this is it. Thank you.