Last year my little sister Katie was diagnosed with MS. Katie is a young and very active mother of 3 kids, and as a career nurse, is known by all as someone who would do anything for anyone. Her generosity and caring spirit knows no bounds, and her heart is made of pure gold. Put simply, she is much, much nicer than me.

Showing her true fighting spirit, one of the first things Katie resolved to do upon receiving the news was to look for the positives. As it turned out, perhaps slightly over-ambitiously, she signed up to the London Marathon to raise funds for the MS Trust that had helped her especially during those early dark days of being diagnosed. Having never run further than round the block, she threw herself into her training and was doing really well, getting up to the half marathon distance, but unfortunately, with her disease, it really wasn't a good idea for her to carry on and compete in the marathon, so I have somewhat apprehensively stepped in to take her place...

This will be my first - and almost certainly last - marathon, I've never run further than about 5K, and having gone through lots of the training programme I can say it is hands down the hardest physical challenge I've faced, and I've also become quite a bore in the process, talking about the best blister plasters and how I'm not drinking alcohol to anyone who will listen.

I'm running to support my little sister and the MS Trust, and if you are willing and able to spare a donation to help that cause, we would both be eternally grateful.

Thank you

Tim

Here's a little more about the MS Trust, too:

The MS Trust is a UK charity which is here to help everyone make sense of MS. We are here for everyone affected by MS, from the moment of diagnosis and throughout their journey. We're here today, tomorrow and every day after that.

The MS Trust receive no government or NHS funding. It's only thanks to the generosity of our supporters, such as The incredible MS Trust London Marathon Team that they continue their work.

Did you know:

£15 could pay for one of our information specialists to provide telephone support to a person with MS.

£100 could cover the cost to provide our Making Sense of MS guide to everybody diagnosed with MS in one week.

£1,765 could pay for a newly-appointed MS specialist nurse to receive foundation training in MS care, through the MS Trusts development module.

Please help me to support the MS Trust, thank you for your donation.