In a month’s time I’ll be running the Duthie Park 10k - one of my first races ‍♀️ But this one means a bit more to me than just crossing a finish line.

I was recently diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome), a hormonal condition that affects around 1 in 8 women, yet so many people still don’t know much about it. It can cause things like irregular periods, infertility, weight gain, hirsutism, chronic fatigue, mood swings and mental health struggles, and it can increase the risk of other long-term health conditions too.

What’s frustrating is how often it’s misunderstood or missed completely. I actually first went to a doctor about my symptoms 10 years ago, but at the time I wasn’t listened to, so it took a long time to finally get answers.

As PCOS is chronic condition, there isn’t a cure, but over the past year I’ve been working really hard to look after my physical and mental health so I can manage the symptoms. One of the things that’s helped me a lot is running, so it felt like the right thing to do to use this race to raise a bit of awareness.

So I’m running this 10k to support Verity (PCOS Charity), a UK charity that provides information and support for people living with PCOS and pushes for more awareness and research.

I’m not only running this race to help raise awareness of PCOS but also for all the women that live with it day in and day out, and most importantly for the 15 year old me who just wanted answers.

If you’d like to support as well, any donation to Verity would be amazing, but even just sharing this post helps spread awareness. ❤️

More information about Verity: The Polycystic Ovaries Self Help Group: Verity's mission is to improve the lives of those living with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Our aims are to:

- Support and empower those with PCOS - Improve the quality of, access to, and choice of treatments available - Encourage research on PCOS - Promote a deeper and wider understanding of the condition - Challenge negative stereotypes surrounding the symptoms of PCOS