On Sunday 26 April 2026, I will be running the London Marathon.

I’ll be taking on this legendary course alongside my twin sister to raise funds and awareness for Meningitis Research Foundation — a cause that is incredibly close to our hearts.

Meningitis is the swelling of the lining of the brain and spinal cord, most commonly caused by bacterial or viral infection. It can rapidly become life-threatening and often leads to sepsis, which can result in organ failure.

When we were just three months old, both my twin sister and I contracted meningitis. We were rushed to hospital and treated in intensive care — every parent’s worst nightmare. At the time, our mum and dad were working full-time, raising our three-year-old sister, and relied heavily on the support of our Aunty and neighbours to help with hospital trips and childcare.

After several weeks of treatment and care, we were incredibly fortunate to make a full recovery with no long-term health complications. Sadly, many families are not so lucky.

Globally, meningitis affects 2.3 million people every year. One in ten will die, and one in five survivors are left with permanent after-effects, including limb loss and brain damage.

Meningitis Research Foundation is a UK-based global charity leading pioneering research, delivering life-saving health campaigns, and providing vital support to those affected by meningitis.

There is something especially meaningful about running the London Marathon as part of this journey. In 1983, our father ran the third ever London Marathon, long before he could have imagined the challenges our family would face just a few years later. To return to this course more than four decades on — this time as twins running together for a cause that saved our lives — feels incredibly special.

I am grateful every single day — for my health and mobility, for the healthcare workers who saved both my life and my twin sister’s, for the researchers whose work makes that care possible, for the neighbours who supported our family, and for my parents who gave us such wonderful lives.

Running these 26.2 gruelling miles is my way of giving back.

Every penny raised will go directly towards funding life-changing research to help defeat this disease. Any donation, big or small, would mean the world — and could help save lives in the future.

Thank you so much for your support ❤️