Having made the crazy decision last year to sign up for the London Marathon, I unfortunately had to withdraw in January because of injury. However, I am so excited to announce that I have had been successful in re-securing my place in the 2027 London Marathon! I'll be continuing with my fundraising efforts from last year, with an aim of hitting my £2,500 target, to support the work of the MS Society.

My mum, Julie, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) 21 years ago when I was just 9 years old. MS is a cruel and unpredictable condition that attacks your brain and spinal cord; this damage disrupts nerve signal transmission, leading to a variety of symptoms affecting movement, balance, vision, sensation, cognition and fatigue.

Ever since my mum's diagnosis, there has been a continuous decline in her overall physical and cognitive ability. For many years she has relied on the likes of a mobility scooter, walking sticks, a stair lift, an accessible bathroom, etc. in an attempt to manage daily activities to the best of her ability. She can no longer stand to bake cakes, walk to the shops, or run around after her two grandchildren.

MS has taken so many things away from my mum, yet she continues to be positive and spread happiness to those around her, so I wanted to give her something back.

More than 150,000 people in the UK have MS. Every year the MS Society reaches thousands of people with help and support through their MS Helpline and local groups. They campaign on the issues that matter most to the MS community and most importantly, they invest in ground-breaking research to stop MS in its tracks.

With your donations and support, together, we are strong enough to stop MS.