On April 27th 2025 I will be running the London Marathon for PKD Charity. Here's a little about the why:

At 25, I was diagnosed with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD). Usually, when I tell people this, I follow up with something like "...which isn't as scary as it sounds", but the truth is that PKD has very real and serious effects, including kidney failure, an increased risk of aneurysms and high blood pressure.

PKD is a genetic disorder where fluid-filled cysts develop and grow in the kidneys, causing them to enlarge and lose function over time. Delightful, I know.

Most people with PKD live with an uncertain prognosis, intermittent pain and infections, and then have to undergo life-saving dialysis or transplant in their 50s.

PKD runs strongly in my family. My dad and two aunties have it, and so did my late grandad. (Adding this to the list of unfavourable genetic conditions passed down by my dad, second to male pattern baldness).

My grandad's later years were marked by several strokes and a severe speech impediment as a result, almost certainly tied to PKD-related brain aneurysms.

Since my diagnosis, I've thrown myself into learning more about PKD. There's nothing quite like being prescribed blood pressure meds and getting brain scans at a young age to give you a quarter-life crisis. Nevertheless, I'm eternally grateful for the support from specialists and organisations like the PKD Charity.

And that's why I'm running the London Marathon; as a way of giving back and raising awareness of this often overlooked disease.

Thank you in advance; your donation, big or small, fuels research, supports patients and bring us closer to better treatments and a cure for PKD.

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A little bit more about the PKD Charity:

The PKD Charity is a UK-based organisation dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD).

PKD is a genetic disorder that affects approximately 70,000 people in the UK and there is currently no cure for this.

Thanks to its incredible community of supporters, like our fabulous Marathon runners, PKD Charity is able to fund ground breaking research and advocate for people affected by PKD.