I’m Jess, and I’m running the 2027 London Marathon… wow! 🏃‍♀️

In 2023, I nearly died from a tick bite. Most people don’t know that’s even possible. I didn’t.

Two weeks of being dismissed. Multiple GP appointments. A referral that went nowhere. Scans that showed nothing ‘concerning enough.’ Every time I said something feels really wrong, i kept going back, and I kept being sent home… “maybe it’s stress, maybe you need your eyes tested, it’s probably nothing, take more paracetamol”.

I finally walked myself into the emergency room, I could hardly function anymore. I was living in Switzerland, thousands of miles away from my family and I barely understood German. It made everything feel even more overwhelming and isolating. But it took just one nurse. She looked at me properly, trusted her instincts, and said she thought I had too much fluid on my brain. I had a lumbar puncture and within hours the results confirmed it. Tick Borne Encephalitis (TBE) and Meningitis. I will never forget her.

I was in hospital for a while. I just couldn’t believe this was happening to me. You usually read about these things but I was living it. There is no cure, you just have to hope your body can fight it. So that’s what I did.

I still have chronic headaches and fatigue two years on. Every headache is a reminder. I will never forget lying in a hospital bed in a foreign country, frightened, and wishing I was home. Meningitis also left me with severe anxiety. I’m now terrified of ticks to the point where going outside in nature feels almost impossible. It changed my life in ways I’m still learning to live with.

When I was younger, running was a huge part of who I was. I competed in cross-country championships around the country with the constant support of my dad. After meningitis, I had to stop running completely, and only now do I finally feel ready to try again, with the incredible goal of the London Marathon to motivate me, and knowing my dad will be there at the finish line, just like he always has been.

Being able to take on my first marathon in London, back in my home country, surrounded by my loved ones, feels incredibly meaningful after everything that happened. It’s so much more than just reaching the finish line, it’s a way of proving to myself just how far I have come.

I’ll be documenting the whole journey - the good runs, the bad runs, and everything in between. You can find me on instagram @joggingwithjessica_ and TikTok @joggingwithjessica__

If you’d like to support me and the Meningitis Research Foundation, I would be so grateful for any donation, big or small. It means more than I can say. Every contribution helps support research, awareness, and the fight for a world free from meningitis.

Can’t wait to see you at the finish line!

Thank you so much 💜

Jess xox