I'm running this marathon in honour of my wonderful wife Phoebe Craddock, who has severe M.E.

We've been together for over eleven years now. I've seen firsthand the toll M.E takes on her every day through chronic pain and crippling, flu-like exhaustion. Despite being put through all this and more, Phoebe is still always lovely to be around and a wonderful wife and mother to our two children.

I hope someday research into M.E advances far enough to give Phoebe and others like her a higher standard of living, without having to constantly battle pain and exhaustion. Thank you for your consideration and your donation.

While I have run two marathons previously, this will be the first full marathon I've attempted since injuring my right leg a few years ago. Fingers crossed I don't have to hop over the finish line.

The rest of this post is from ME Research UK:

"....doctors do not treat us and science does not study us. How could a disease this common and this devastating have been forgotten by medicine?" Jennifer Brea

Only biomedical research can find the causes of ME/CFS, improve diagnosis and treatment, and, ultimately, arrive at a cure. That’s why research is our focus.

We've awarded 64 full grants and 5 PhD-level awards since 2000 and invested over £3.5million. But research is expensive and becoming more so every day. That’s the challenge we face, and that’s why we need your help.