Hello!

Thank you for taking time to read a bit about my story and why I am raising money for this amazing charity

I was officially diagnosed with PoTS in 2023, after several years of investigation, countless hospital appointments, tests, ECGs, echos and at home heart monitors. Going from a highly competitive sportswoman for nearly 10 years to struggling with extreme fatigue where just standing up on somedays has been quite life altering.

I am currently learning how to manage and live with my condition as a 20 year old university student.

Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS) is a potentially life altering and debilitating health condition. No-one knows or fully understands the causes behind this condition, but what is known is it is due to the abnormal response by the body’s nervous system that causes effects on just simply standing up. These symptoms include rapid palpitations, chest pains, light-headedness, blackouts, fatigue, difficulty thinking, gut problems, headaches, tremulousness, sleep abnormalities and more.

The mean time for a diagnosis is 7 years, and 50% of patients receive a psychiatric misdiagnosis (e.g. anxiety, depression, hypochondriasis)- both of which I have experienced first hand. Spending that long not knowing what is wrong with you or why you are feeling unwell is so scary and to then be told its all in your head can have quite an effect on a teenage girl. Currently, there is no cure, and little medical awareness of the condition, with only a few specialist doctors in the UK.

I am determined to run the Great Birmingham 10km Run in May 2023, alongside my Dad.

Whilst I know this isn’t a huge distance, it is a big challenge for myself. I have only began running in the past few months, as at the beginning of my diagnosis I really struggled with even just a short jog resulting in my heart rate spiking over 210bpm. After a few set backs and A&E trips, with the help and support of my family and friends, I am resuming my training and hoping to achieve my goal- all while repping the purple vest!

All money raised will be going towards this amazing charity whose mission is to provide accessible evidence informed support, education and awareness to those who are impacted by PoTS. The more funding and awareness PoTS UK receive, the more funds that can be focussed towards supporting patients and research into the condition, its causes, treatment and possible cures. 

It would be great if you could support my fundraising - any amount will be really appreciated, and if not, no worries and thank you again for reading.

Please feel free to free to share with your networks, it’s a great charity to support.

Izzie x