Celebrating 50 years of NASS

Since 1976, NASS has been at the heart of a community built on the incredible strength, resilience, and shared experiences of everyone living with Axial SpA. This year, NASS is incredibly proud to celebrate it's 50th anniversary.

Everything they have achieved over the last five decades, from shaping NHS policy to driving forward diagnosis and care, from pioneering research to life-changing support, has been possible because of you. Whether you’ve been with us since the beginning or have just joined our journey, this milestone belongs to all of us.

I will be forever grateful to NASS, as I’m certain I would not be where I am today without the super support I have received.

I have always been a keen runner and I’m still running at 64, but a lot slower and on trails. There are days when I can’t run at all. AS stops me in my tracks. But my motto has always been ‘Rest is Rust and Motion is Lotion’! Just got to keep on kicking AS into touch.

I ran The London Marathon several times, wearing my Orange Morph Skeleton suit, this was in the early days of NASS and I was proud to promote exercise, walking or running, as a true way to keep on top of AS.

My proudest moment representing NASS was when I was chosen to carry The Commonwealth Games Baton in 2022 for my charity work and inspiring others to reach their goals through any kind of movement and exercise.

I have taken part in The 268 mile Montane Spine Race four times, since 2019. Montane have kindly taken on NASS as their charity partner over these years and helped raise awareness and the profile of NASS.

This year I will be on the start line for the 108 mile Montane Challenger South and as it's the 50th Anniversary of NASS, I thought I'd collect 50p's! So if you can donate 50p, let's see how many I can collect to celebrate this Golden Year!.

Happy 50th, NASS, here’s to many more golden years ahead!

Thank you all for your continued support and generosity.

Gerry

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

***Well that didn't go to plan! Thank you all for supporting and donating to this challenge but I was beaten by the weather and my body! I did, however, get to mark the 50th Anniversary of NASS by getting to 52kms! So there was a 50 in the result!

I knew I was asking a lot of my body this time, as I've had a run of health issues over the past few months. The weather was awful, torrential rain and buffeting winds and I just got too cold. Add to that several bouts of sickness and I knew it was game over.

I will be back on a trail once I'm fit enough and will continue to kick AS and raise awareness of NASS!

Thank you all, once again!***