Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page, raising money for The Multiple Sclerosis Society by running the 2024 London Marathon.

In 1981, aged 30, my mum was diagnosed with primary progressive multiple sclerosis. With my big brother aged 18 months, and sister just born, this was a life changing diagnosis for my parents.

Living with MS in our lives is all I've ever known so I have not experienced the initial impact such a diagnosis must have had on my parents, and thousands of other families across the UK. My mum was wheelchair bound by the time I was 5 so growing up involved learning how to push and lift her, cook meals, collect prescriptions and general household jobs/errand running. None of which ever felt like a hardship and definitely shaped me into the man I am today.

What is Multiple Sclerosis (MS)?

- Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological condition - that means it affects your nerves. You get it when your immune system isn’t working properly.

- Your immune system normally protects you by fighting off infection, but in MS it attacks your nerves by mistake.

- Once diagnosed, MS stays with you for life, there is no cure.

- There are three main types of MS - relapsing, primary progressive and secondary progressive. All of which can affect the individual differently.

- It is estimated that there are over 130,000 people with MS in the UK.

- Nearly 7000 people are newly diagnosed each year.

My mum has primary progressive MS, called this because from the first - primary - symptoms, it’s progressive. There will usually be few or no relapses with PPMS. There can be long periods where symptoms seem to be staying level but disability will gradually increase.

Mum's condition has considerably deteriorated since diagnosis. Today she in confined to an electric wheelchair and unable to feed herself. Thankfully, she still has her mind and voice, and therefore the ability to stay in charge of all of us!

So this is why I am running the 2024 London Marathon. To raise awareness of this devastating disease, and money for the MS Society who do such brilliant work. www.mssociety.org.uk

Founded in 1953, The MS Society now fund world-leading research, share the latest information, campaign for everyone's rights and offer support to people affected by MS. Their ultimate goal is to find treatments for everyone but until then, they're working to make sure no one has to face MS alone. We're lucky, my amazing Dad has been there for my Mum every step of the way but there are hundreds and thousands of people that don't have the same support.

In short, the money raised will go towards support, treatment and research for the thousands of people living with MS today and in the future.

Thank you so much for reading and for any donation you can spare. See you at the finish line.

Much love.

David/Dave/Fothers/Fovs xxx