Last year, I lost my mum Pamela to motor neurone disease.

Her illness progressed incredibly quickly. She was only formally diagnosed a few months before she died, giving us very little time to understand or come to terms with what was happening. Seeing someone you love affected by MND is devastating, and losing Mum has left an enormous space in our lives.

On 4th October, I’ll be running the Manchester Half Marathon - my first half marathon - in her memory and to raise money for the MND Association.

The MND Association provides vital information, equipment and practical and emotional support to people affected by MND. It also funds and promotes research into the disease.

Any donation, no matter the amount, would mean a great deal to me and my family.

£12 could provide an information pack for someone newly diagnosed with MND.

£35 could fund an MND Connect helpline adviser for an hour.

£40 could buy adapted cutlery to help someone continue feeding themselves.

£75 could help inspire a rising research star to devote their career to MND.

£100 could provide a voice amplifier, helping someone preserve the precious ability to communicate with the people they love.

Thank you for supporting me, for helping the MND Association, and - most importantly - for helping me keep Mum’s memory with me through every mile.