At 19 years old, I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS/ME). After months of unexplained exhaustion, nausea and migraines, and endless testing, I was told I had a condition with no real treatment.

What followed was a long period of trying to understand and improve it- from different medications, diets, and different approaches, all in the hope of improving something that often felt unimprovable. I couldn’t believe something I’d never even heard of could take over my life.

Six years on, it hasn’t been a straight line. There was a year where I was mostly confined to bed, alongside periods where I seemed completely back to normal - living abroad, graduating, and working full-time. But the crashes always came back, leaving me exhausted and confused.

The lack of awareness made it harder to live with. Trying to explain why I was flaking on plans or being "lazy" added a whole extra layer to something already difficult.

I got better through years of persistence, support from my family and friends, and access to expensive private care that many people can’t afford.

Even now, people reach out to me for advice on how to live with CFS - because there still aren’t enough professional answers, research, and support.

Now I’m training for a half marathon, something I never thought I’d be able to say.

I’m fundraising for the ME Association to help change that - to push for better awareness, more research, and proper support, so others don’t have to go through it feeling as lost and alone as I did.