In April 2026, I’ll be running the London Marathon after securing a ballot place. I’m dedicating my run to the International Topical Steroid Addiction Network (ITSAN), a charity that guided me through one of the hardest periods of my life.

Why I’m Running for ITSAN

For over 30 years (from age 3 to 35) I was prescribed topical steroid creams by GPs/dermatologists for what was labelled “eczema.” As time went on, my symptoms spread and worsened, and no one could explain why. Eventually, I discovered the truth: my body had become dependent on the creams themselves. When I stopped using them, I entered Topical Steroid Withdrawal (TSW), a condition still widely unrecognised.

Topical Steroid Withdrawal: My Reality

TSW destroyed my life as I knew it. Your skin is your body's biggest organ and I went from being active, independent, and social to feeling like I was being burnt alive.

• My skin turned bright red.

• It fell off in mounds and fluid oozed from my skin

• I couldn’t sleep for days.

• The itch was bone-deep.

• I had to stop work and move back home.

• I needed daily care.

• Some days I spent hours in the bath just to cope.

• At my lowest, I felt like I no longer wanted to be here.

No one should ever reach that point because of a medication meant to help.

Recovery and Hope

With time (8 years!), and access to CAP Therapy, my body is finally learning to function again. My skin is healing, my energy is returning, and I have returned to my life. But so many people facing TSW today still feel lost and alone.

Why ITSAN Matters

ITSAN provides life-saving information, patient and doctor education, support groups, advocacy, and genuine understanding. When no medical professional could explain what was happening to me, ITSAN did. They gave me answers and community when there was nowhere else to turn.

Far Too Many People Are Suffering

My GPs and dermatologists still do not recognise that the creams they prescribed caused this nightmare. Instead of acknowledging steroid dependency and withdrawal, they told me stopping steroids was a “terrible decision” and suggested psychological help to try and help me change my decision. This happens everywhere.

TSW is preventable. Medical professionals need better awareness and training. Research is urgently needed to identify effective treatments. I’m lucky to have accessed CAP Therapy — most people have no/limited options at all.

A Personal Milestone

Running the London Marathon will be a huge milestone in my recovery. For years, I was terrified to push my body — even sweating felt like acid on my skin. Completing this marathon will mark the near-end of my withdrawal journey and close a chapter that has taken years from my life. I hope it also gives others going through TSW the hope I once desperately searched for. It does get better. Life does come back.

By donating to ITSAN through my London Marathon 2026 challenge, you will be helping:

• raise awareness of TSW

• support thousands suffering worldwide

• push for better medical recognition

• fund vital research

• ensure others don’t face this alone

Thank You

Thank you for reading my story and supporting an organisation that helped me a lot. I want to give back and try to make sure others do not have to go through what I did. Any donation or share of my page is really appreciated.