The Great North Run is a very special occasion, with a fantastic atmosphere and brilliant support from the people in the North East and ‘race tourists’ alike. As it is a half marathon it is a little less daunting than a full marathon but still a big challenge and fantastic achievement for those taking part.
I first chose to raise money for the MS Trust when I entered the 2016 London Marathon. I wanted to ‘do something’ that would help my daughter Charlotte, who was diagnosed early in 2015, just before her 21st Birthday. As a parent of someone living with MS you feel somewhat helpless and other than providing comfort and offering re-assurance, I didn’t know what else I could do. Little did I know that training for, and running in, the London Marathon would lead to me being bitten by the running bug and I soon found myself signed up for the Great North Run in 2017 and then again in 2018.
Helping to fund the great work of the MS Trust means I can help my daughter Charlotte, and others living with the condition, via the MS Trust’s support for training MS Nurses throughout the NHS.
The information that the MS Trust provide and their helpline is also a great way to remove much of the misinformation surrounding this condition which seems to be in the news so often nowadays, with articles claiming ‘miracle cures’ making a semi-regular appearance. I believe it is vital to provide people with accurate, fact-based information as they come to terms with and learn to live with this debilitating condition.