I know running is now trendy and the London Marathon is something to tick off but I promise this isn’t the only reason I’m going to complete a nice jog around London!

On April 27th 2025 I’ll be running the London Marathon for the MS Trust, who are a charity that provides support to people with multiple sclerosis (MS) from the moment of their diagnosis. I personally want to raise money for the incredible people who work at this charity, as they’ve been so supportive of my girlfriend Colleen who earlier this year was diagnosed with MS and for carers who, like myself, are thrown into a world we never could ever have imagined we’d experience. Especially with this all happening to the both of us at only 27!

On February 7th 2024, both Colleen’s and my life was flipped upside down - Colleen woke up with complete mobility loss on her left side and after rushing to the Royal Free Hospital we were told she’d need to stay the night. This one night in hospital then turned into Colleen staying as an in-patient for a further 5 weeks, as she required brain surgery and several more tests and scans to understand what was going on. After starting physiotherapy in hospital to regain the mobility she had lost, Colleen was then moved to a rehabilitation unit in Hertfordshire where she began to relearn to walk. After spending 4 weeks at the rehab unit, Colleen went from being completely bed bound and in a wheelchair to being able to walk a few meters unaided. After leaving the rehab unit and having several more tests Colleen was then diagnosed with MS.

Since leaving hospital Colleen has been continuing her physiotherapy and has begun to receive treatment to hopefully reduce the MS symptoms she’s been experiencing. Even though Colleen is getting stronger each day, MS continues to come with its challenges. MS is a life-long neurological condition which affects the brain and spinal cord. With MS, the coating that protects your nerves becomes damaged, meaning things don’t signal and speak to each other as well as they should. Symptoms vary from person to person and there are no two cases the same. The most unpredictable thing about MS is how unpredictable it can be.

Throughout our time in hospital, MS was mentioned but it was something as a family we knew little about. By speaking with the MS trust they offered an outlet for our family to discuss our thoughts, feelings and concerns whilst also supporting and educating us about the condition. The MS Trust works directly with the NHS and MS patients to provide them with this crucial support, however the charity receives no government or NHS funding to do this. It’s only through the generosity of their supporters that they’re able to continue to do this fantastic work.

So if you would like to support a fairly unfit man attempting to run the London Marathon and raise money for the MS Trust at the same time, then I’d really appreciate your support. We know money is tight for people at the moment, but if you can chuck a few quid towards this it would be very much appreciated.

Also if you do want to follow me on Strava to track my running progress, feel free to have a look here and drop me a message if you’re up for a run at any point: https://www.strava.com/athletes/55255331