I’ve certainly had my health challenges over the last two years, but now it’s time for an activity challenge to raise funds once again for the Brain Research Appeal, a linked charity to the Leeds Hospital Charity, which raises funds for research into neurological disorders including multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy and migraine. These conditions are not only life changing for the suffers, but also for their families.

The Leeds neurology research team have now started working on an exciting new type of research – multi-arm multi-stage trials known as MAMS trials. Doesn’t sound particularly exciting does it? However, this type of trial tests several drugs at the same time, rather than an individual drug and will be a faster way of bringing new drugs to treat patients. This doesn’t sound particularly exciting either, but think about it. If you were a sufferer or a carer that would give you real hope of better treatment, faster. Now that is exciting!

This rapid increase in new trials means that we need more support for the neurological research team and grow researchers for the future. We are raising funds to appoint a Research Career Development Fellow, to enable a medical doctor in training to develop research skills working on the new MAMs trials in Leeds. If you help us, then you are investing in the future.

As stated above I’ve had my recent health challenges which have included major oral surgery and radiotherapy, but I’m still here and active at age 72. I am grateful for that, but a challenge that sponsors might consider a real challenge for worthwhile cause eluded me. Then I thought what bigger challenge might there be, than to try and run/jog/walk a mile for every year of my life within 24 hours at the Leeds Endure 24. AND I DID IT!

So you have the cause – the Brain Research Appeal linked to Leeds Hospital Charity and the challenge. This is the most difficult 24 hour challenge that I have ever undertaken.

A sincere thank you for reading this and then hopefully sponsoring me