I’m running the London Marathon in memory of my lovely mum, Isobel, who died in October last year from complications related to pulmonary fibrosis (PF).

Mum was diagnosed with PF in 2012, and at that time it wasn’t something that was on our radar – I had never even heard of it, and she told me not to google it. In fact, it was only in recent years that I actually learned about what it entails.

To give a very simple overview, it’s a condition that causes scarring of the lungs, making it increasingly difficult to breathe. It’s an incurable, progressive disease with limited treatment options. When mum was diagnosed she was told that only 40% of people live beyond 5 years after diagnosis, which is probably why she told me not to look it up. While that figure is outdated, I feel so fortunate that we as a family were able to have so much time with her. She did everything she could to stay strong and healthy so that she could be there for the moments that mattered – birthdays, celebrations, and the birth of her first grandchild, my niece, G.

Mum was an incredibly loving, caring person, always there with a listening ear and a big hug when you needed one. She was super intelligent, extremely well read and was an excellent baker, helping to make both my and my sister’s wedding cakes! She loved nothing more than having us all over for lunch, followed by a coffee on the sofa with one of her grand-dogs on her lap. We all miss her so much, but we take comfort in knowing that she doesn’t have to live with such a horrible illness anymore.

I would say that I hope I do my mum proud running this marathon, but the reality is that she was proud of me, my sister, and G, no matter what. But I’ll be thinking of her every mile I run and remembering all of the happy times we had together.

I’m fundraising for the charity Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis (AFP), who are working to find a cure for PF so that everyone affected by the disease has a better future. They also provide information and education to raise awareness, as well as support services and advice. Anything you can donate would be absolutely amazing 💕

Thank you!

P.S. For those who are interested in the running side of things, my race day aims are to finish the thing, see as many friends, family and dogs as I can along the way, and hopefully get a semi-decent race photo (though that’s probably the biggest ask of all!).