This year, I’ll be running the London Marathon barefoot — for Spinal Research, and for everyone fighting to move freely again.

In 2021, a spinal neurosurgeon sat in front of a 21-year-old me and told me that I would likely never be able to run again pain-free. So, in short, I’ve never really believed until now that this could be possible.

Diagnosed with degenerative disc disease and nerve compression at 18, I’ve lived with chronic lower back pain for the past 7 years — an experience that has tested my resilience in every way. My own journey has given me a small window into the daily struggles faced by others, and has helped me develop a real empathy for those dealing with far more serious spinal cord injuries. It’s made me acutely aware of how vital spinal health is to quality of life.

Towards the end of 2024 I finally reached a point where I was able to enjoy pain-free running again for the first time. Movement has undoubtedly become my escape from pain. I have loved sports my whole life, and running the London Marathon (my first ever marathon) is something that I have been waiting to be physically capable of doing for a long time. I can think of no more fitting way to achieve this than by running on behalf of Spinal Research, to prove to myself how far I have come.

To make the challenge even more symbolic, I’ll be running the marathon completely barefoot - and hope to be one of the youngest people ever to do so. Reconnecting my feet with the ground has been key to me returning to pain-free movement, and I am determined to share with the world what is possible when we let our feet move in the way that they naturally should.

Over 100,000 people in the UK live with a Spinal Cord Injury — each one facing lifelong challenges that most of us can barely imagine. It’s impossible to overstate how much our spines affect our freedom and sense of self — and how devastating it is for those who lose that freedom entirely.

Spinal Research is the UK's leading medical charity focused on the repair and restoration of the spinal cord, and exists to beat paralysis.

Spinal Research do not receive governmental funding; all projects are funded by donations. Every donation, no matter how small, brings us closer to a future where paralysis can be cured.

Thank you for supporting me — and for helping to change lives through Spinal Research.