What am I doing.
I am trying to raise awareness for Child's Chronic Arthritis by running two half Marathons and the distance between where them for this great cause.
My aim is to kick it off by completing the Cheltenham half marathon on 25 September which is near where Laila is from.
From there I will run all 150 miles across 6 days to Lincoln where I will complete my second half marathon.
I am trying to raise as much money and awareness as possible which is why I am going to complete the 2 X 13.1 mile half marathons plus the 150 miles distance between them. Because of this I will be looking to run around 22 - 28 miles a day for 6 days.
Why am I doing this.... Laila's story.
In May 15 when Laila was aged just 2 she started to develop some swelling and limping from her ankle which spread to her knee's and toes. Over the coming months this became worse until December a few days before Christmas when she was diagnosed with Juvenial Arthritis.
In January 16 symptoms had got that bad Laila was unable to walk and had to under take an emergency steroid injection under general anaesthetic. The very next day Laila was back on her feet, although a little wobbly, she was ok and made her family very happy.
This happy time did not last and only a week later Laila had developed more swelling and pain but now it had progressed to her neck and hand. Two months later Laila's mum was trained in how to administer an injection at home for her. This had to be carried out weekly. Because of the Strength of this medicine and the side effects it can have in her liver and other organs, Laila had to have blood tests every four weeks to make sure she was ok.
In late March just before Laila's 3rd birthday, she was admitted to Bristol children's hospital to undergo an emergency MRI to assess the swelling which had spread across her body. This resulted in being placed on a steroid drip for 3 days in the hospital. This treatment was only a short term fix and Laila was re-admitted to hospital in April for emergency pain relief of morphine as well as another 3 day course of steroids.
Laila had now been diagnosed with extended Oligoarticular arthritis and so has a higher risk of Uveitis (eye disease). Because of this she has to go for check ups every 8 weeks with a specialist.
Laila's parents now have to inject her twice a week and she still has to go for a course of steroids to help improve her movement. The whole family is hoping that this will allow her a more active lifestyle and give her the freedom that a young child deserves.
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