On September 6th, I’ll be running The Big Half to raise money for Sight Research UK.

If you’d told me a couple of years ago that I’d be signing up for a half marathon, I wouldn’t have believed you. I only started running last year, and growing up I absolutely hated PE at school. Running was never something I enjoyed or thought I’d be capable of doing.

But over time, I’ve actually come to value it. It gives me a bit of headspace away from everything else, where I can just focus on running and nothing more. Mostly because I don’t have the energy to think about anything else once I’m a few kilometres in.

At the moment, I can only run around 5K, so getting to 13.1 miles will be a big challenge for me, and the training definitely isn't easy. But I wanted to push myself to do something outside my comfort zone for a cause that really matters to me.

Working in eye care, I see every day the impact that sight-saving treatments can have. Seeing patients after cataract surgery and hearing how they can return to hobbies like reading, knitting, painting, and enjoying everyday life again is incredibly rewarding. Unfortunately, not everyone has the same outcomes depending on their eye diagnosis, which is why continued research is so important.

September 6th will also mark 13 years since I lost my dad. I was 13 years old when he passed away, so while this charity isn’t connected to him, I’ll also be running in his memory on a day that already holds a lot of meaning for me.

If you can donate, even a small amount would mean a lot. Thanks so much for your support.