Thanks for visiting my page!

On the 7th of April this year, I will be running the London Landmarks Half Marathon to raise money for ADSHG. I am raising money for the charity as my mum was diagnosed with Addison’s in June 2022.

Mum has given blood all of her adult life. On one such Sunday in June, she came home and soon became dizzy and faint. Her condition worsened quite quickly and after a phone call to 999, no ambulances were available, so it was decided that we would drive Mum to the hospital as she had a gut feeling that something was very wrong.

She fainted twice in the waiting room and was then seen as a medical emergency and jumped the queue. The A&E staff stabilised her despite not knowing what was wrong, as she had previously been so well. The only clue was the blood donation and her blood pressure was dangerously low.

She spent four nights in hospital and after blood tests, was diagnosed with Addison’s disease. She then was told that her deep suntan was, in fact, a symptom of Addison's! She had experienced a very frightening, potentially fatal, Addison's crisis that day. Her adrenal glands were not working properly, and the blood donation had depleted her of the vital hormone cortisol.

The diagnosis has changed all of our lives and was a big shock to us. However, my mum is so strong and has persevered through adversity to be able to live a relatively normal life. This would not have been possible without the help of the ADSHG. They have been a huge help to us, providing us with support, advice and reassurance as we learn to adapt to living with Addison's disease.

My mum copes really well and is over time, learning her limits and understanding her body better.

I am running this half marathon to raise awareness of this rare condition and to raise vital funds for this small charity so that they can continue their excellent work.

Every penny raised helps us support people affected by Addison's disease and adrenal insufficiency.

Addison's disease affects approximately 1 in 10,000 people, meaning an estimated 300 - 350 new cases are diagnosed each year across the UK. This makes it roughly 300 times rarer than diabetes, another endocrine condition that sometimes occurs alongside Addison's. Diagnosis is most common between the ages of 30 - 50, but can occur at any age.

Your fundraising supports our work to support the Addison's community and their healthcare providers to promote better medical understanding of this rare condition, campaign for and support everyone affected by adrenal failure, and funds vital research.

Thank you #TeamAddisons for your support - we really appreciate it!