Many of you will probably know Louis from ignoring you in the school corridor if you were ever optimistic enough to attempt a hello to him, or if you’re lucky enough to have trekked to the bottom of Spenny to my house, then as the boy with a smirk sat at the end of the dinner table most nights. That said, I know many of you probably don’t know what actually makes Louis the way he is. Well, my brother, aged 3, was diagnosed with Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD), changing not only his life, but my little sister’s, parents’ and mine too. It is a progressive and debilitating condition that impacts my little brother every second he’s awake, exactly why I’ve chosen to do the Great North Run in the hope that perhaps one day we can find a cure for such a condition. I’ve certainly had better ideas over the years, but a half marathon is a small price to pay compared to watching my brother day in day out fall further and further behind his mates.

Any donations, however big or small, will make a huge difference, and every penny will go towards giving my brother a better life. 🧡

Muscular Dystrophy UK is the charity for 111,000 people living with muscle-wasting conditions. They are making a difference today, providing vital information and support to help people live as independently as possible. They are making a difference for tomorrow, accelerating progress in research and driving the campaign for access to emerging treatments.