On Friday 27 June, I’ll be taking on the University's Big Walk in support of neurological disease research at the University of Sheffield. I'm raising funds for vital new treatments that will bring hope to thousands of people suffering from devastating neurodegenerative conditions like Motor Neuron Disease, Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer's and dementia.

The bad news:

1 in 6 people, and 1 in 4 over the age of 80, will develop a significant neurological disorder in their lifetimes. For most of these conditions there's currently no effective treatments, let alone a cure.

The good news:

The University of Sheffield's neuroscience researchers have already made some fantastic progress and breakthroughs in identifying potential new treatments for some of these conditions, including:

- Leading an international clinical trial that led to the discovery of a new drug "Tofersen", in which some patients reported an actual improvement in their motor and lung function. Although only effective at present for a specific genetic form of MND experienced by around 2% of MND patients, the approach we've used (of reducing proteins harmful in MND) has the potential to have wider applications for other forms of MND.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-62851186

- Identifying a drug, initially used to treat liver disease, that has the potential to slow disease progression in Parkinson's patients

- Developing a pioneering new stem cell treatment for patients with relapsing-remitting MS, that was featured in a 2016 BBC Panorama special "Can you stop my MS?" Again although the clinical trial involved small numbers of patients with a particular form of the disease, many of them regained the ability to walk, run and even dance as a result of this new therapy

https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/news/ms-patients-could-be-offered-stem-cell-transplants-first-line-treatment-new-world-first-trial

Sheffield is now genuinely recognised as a globally leading centre for neurological research, with patients referred to us from all over the world, world-class facilities and researchers, and an impressive range of external partners from both academia and industry.

But our researchers need your help to build on the fantastic progress they've made so far and turn more discoveries in the lab into life-changing treatments.

My Challenge:

I'm so proud to work with and support our incredible researchers here at Sheffield. Having relatives and friends who have personal experience of several of the conditions they're trying to cure, their work is a cause which is really close to my heart.

That's why this year I'm taking on the challenge of the Big Walk to help them in their work - attempting to walk 31 miles around the Peak District in one day!

This will be quite a challenge for me - as many of you know, I'm not the fittest person in the world!

But every £1 you donate will help our researchers go further and faster in finding more desperately-needed new treatments for patients living with neurodegenerative conditions. Your generosity really will change people's lives.

Please do sponsor me if you feel able to spare a few quid - you really will be helping to transform people's lives. Thank you!