On 4th April 2027 I will take on the London Landmarks Half Marathon, raising money for Tinnitus UK, a charity which is very close to my heart.

(edit. I am also now running the Great Birmingham Run on 2 May 2027 if additional to LLHM)

Approximately 1 in 7 people in the U.K. have Tinnitus, an incurable and often life-changing condition which causes a noise, or ringing in someone’s ear(s). Whilst invisible to anyone on the outside, this condition is distressing and upsetting to those with it.

My partner, Jon, was diagnosed with Tinnitus back in 2019 after waking up one morning with a noise in his ear, which has been there ever since.

People often believe it is a physical condition, however it is actually neurological where the brain attempts to make up for a frequency that it can’t hear. This is not a real noise, just something the brain is making up. Although slight hearing loss is often the cause of the noise, the use of hearing aids or other auditory treatments don’t reverse it.

Tinnitus is a spectrum and affects each person differently, and there are no tests which can be done to assess how severe it is in someone.

For Jon, this condition impacts his daily life.

Tinnitus causes stress, lack of sleep, difficulty concentrating, anxiety and depressions, and roughly double the risk of suicidal thoughts than those without the condition. In turn, the conditions caused by Tinnitus then make the Tinnitus worse and the cycle continues. Loud noise often makes it worse, as well as spaces where it is too quiet.

Presently, there is no known cure, nor treatment for Tinnitus and so I am hoping to raise money for Tinnitus UK who are doing excellent work in researching to find ways to cure, or relieve symptoms of this condition . They also provide support to those with Tinnitus and offer access to clinical trials.