On May 18th, I'm running the Hackney Half Marathon — and in doing so, I’m raising money for the British Heart Foundation.

Why the BHF? Well, let’s just say in my little 3-person family, we’ve been blessed (and I use that word loosely) with not one but two rare heart conditions: Long QT Syndrome and Cardiomyopathy. Basically, our hearts like to freestyle — skipping the standard “lub-dub” and opting instead for interpretive jazz.

My mum and I were diagnosed with Long QT Syndrome over 22 years ago (basically since the dawn of my memory). For years, we thought my sister had dodged the family plot twist — but last year, life decided to keep things spicy. She landed in London’s Homerton Hospital for a month and left with a bit of extra hardware: a shiny new ICD (Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator). If you want to read her beautiful account of that journey (in words much better than mine), you can find it here: Electric Manifestations.

The British Heart Foundation is funding incredible research into both Long QT and cardiomyopathy — from understanding how rogue genes affect heart rhythm to pioneering gene therapy that could one day cure inherited heart muscle diseases. These projects are bold, ambitious, and honestly, a bit mind-blowing.

The BHF has already helped halve the number of people dying from heart and circulatory diseases in the UK — but heartbreakingly, hundreds of people still lose their lives every day. It’s only through support from people like us that they can continue funding life-saving research and treatments.

Just £24 could pay for two hours of research by an early-career scientist. Every pound makes a difference — so whether it’s the price of a coffee or a week’s worth of snacks (I see you, Hackney cafes), I’d be so grateful for anything you can give to help me hit my target.

Thank you for reading, supporting, and cheering me on — from the bottom of my slightly overachieving heart. ❤️