I am running an Ultra Marathon in Morocco in November. The race takes place in and around the city of Ouarzazate and I will be running this with my friend, Freddie Billington.

Nicknamed the door of the desert, Ouarzazate is positioned in south-central Morocco, south of the High Atlas Mountains. This course will take me on a sensory journey, past Kasbahs, through traditional fortified villages, lush oasises and over rocky desert whilst being supported by the wonderful local population.

I decided to link this challenge with raising money for an amazing charity that I have had the privilege of being involved with, here's their story;

Medics for Rare Disease

3.5 million people in the UK live with a rare disease, the same number as those living with cancer.

However the vast majority of healthcare professionals will never receive any dedicated rare disease training. Rare disease mainly impacts children and young people who have to go through their own ultra-marathon just to find out what is going on for them. This diagnostic odyssey can cause them to miss out on treatment and support at really critical times in their lives.

I am supporting a small charity with global impact! Medics for Rare Disease is shaping a medical profession that can provide people living with rare conditions a timely diagnosis and excellent care.

They work with healthcare professionals at a grass roots level, UK Government, and even inform international policy such as The UN Resolution on Rare Disease.

With over 7000 rare diseases, it’s impossible to know about all of them. However it is possible for doctors to appreciate that rare diseases are collectively common and to recognise the exceptional challenges faced by patients with rare diseases.

Medics for Rare Disease provides education about the relevance of rare disease to everyday clinical medicine and equips doctors to manage their patients effectively. Their ultimate aim is to speed up the journey to diagnosis and improve the patient experience.

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.