EDS support: 12 hour run!

So it's coming to that time of year again when I call on the amazing people I know to show some support during EDS awareness month (May). On May 28th, I am lucky enough to have some truly amazing club and team mates supporting me in a beast of a fundraiser ❤️

I, and some wonderful friends (mostly from Sheffield City Korfball Club ) will be completing a 12 hour runathon, in which at all times for 12 hours at least one of us will be running. We'll be completing the circuit of Endcliffe park as a continuous relay and will be doing it in style with some of us in fancy dress! Those not running at the time will be attempting to score as many korfball goals as possible. This is a mammoth task and I could not be more grateful that people are willing to support me in achieving it.

For those who don't know, EDS is a set of crippling and debilitating syndromes that affect the collagen and soft tissue in the body and is a condition that I and many of my family members continue to battle. It can look different in every person but for me it consists of constant joint dislocations (we're talking every joint and as frequently as daily); severe and chronic pain; chronic fatigue; dysautonomia; a heart murmur; kidney complications; IBS; nerve damage; lowered immune system; asthma; anaphylaxis; multiple hospitalisations and constant mental health struggles.

The reality of EDS is that I cannot live a regular life without the support of heavy pain medication, and that to be able to live the life I love I have to sacrifice hours and days to fatigue and pain. Despite this, I and those around me have fought hard to maintain a healthy and fulfilling life and a huge contribution to that is being able to continue to play sport. I am unbelievably lucky to have found a community of sports people who support me in remaining active at a high level, and who for the most part have stopped gagging when my limbs fall off Please show your support to these lovely people as well as the cause ❤️

The diagnosis process for EDS on average takes over 10 years and the services once diagnosed are minimal. The reality is that there is just not enough medical understanding or enough specialist's to support people like me. Please help me fund the vital research needed to allow others with EDS to live fulfilling and safe lives ❤️