I am going to be running 10 x 10KM for may - that’s 100KM in total. I'm fundraising for the BDD Foundation who do some fantastic work through the media with promoting awareness of a lesser known mental health condition and providing support within the community. So your donation and support means a lot to me!

BDD is a serious mental disorder, which causes devastating distress and interferes substantially with the ability to function in life. It affects about 1-2% of the adult population and sadly has one of the highest suicide rates of all mental health conditions with 1 in 4 making an attempt on their life.

Alongside BDD there is high comorbidity with depression, anxiety and eating disorders. This means that people with BDD often have complex needs, severely impaired functioning and a low quality of life, which is why early identification and intervention are of utmost importance

I myself have have dealt with the reality of living with this condition and seeking help 7 years ago, also participating a documentary on the BBC for the benefit of raising awareness - the shame and stigma surrounding this illness often means those suffering do not seek medical help for fear of judgement. The amount of people who reached out to me following this was overwhelming. They all said the same thing, “this is exactly how I’ve been feeling.