Get me around this marathon!

As some of you may know during my travels around Australia I met a very special guy, Joe. 

Joe had been in Australia for two years, travelling and working very hard as a plasterer, however his visa expired mid feb so he planned to return home to Kent, to visit all of his friends and amazing family and save some money so he could then come back & continue on his adventure. Unfortunately within a month of Joe returning to the UK, in March 2018 he was randomly, brutally assaulted after a night out. Joe suffered serious head injuries & doctors did not expect him to pull through. He was transferred to Kings College Hospital in London where he underwent emergency surgery. He then remained in a coma in a critical condition, breathing through a ventilator for a month before he eventually started to gain consciousness. 

Now... exactly 6 months since the incidence Joe is currently at the royal hospital for neuro-disability (RHND) in London. He has been there for a few months and the care & development they have already given him is incredible. Although Joe cannot talk or move, he is now able to nod & shake his head as well as point, so he can communicate with us. His memory, recognition & alertness is incredible & he is gaining strength everyday. But what amazes me the most, is that Joe manages to put a smile on his face, & everyone else’s, every single day that he is fighting the hardest battle of his life, both mentally & physically. Things that we don’t even bat an eyelid at like holding our heads up, swallowing, scratching an itch, are all immense challenges for Joe that 5 months on, after being told he probably wouldn’t even pull through, he is incredibly now starting to master. Every single day he amazes us. 

The brain is such a complex thing that even top specialists can never definitely tell what the future holds for somebody who has suffered serious brain damage, as Joe has. Every case is individual so we don’t know how far Joes recovery will go. But what we do know is that somehow he finds the strength to fight & laugh his way through this everyday. He really is an inspiration & I am
beyond proud of him. This has dramatically changed his and his families lives forever & the long slow journey is really only just beginning. 

I cannot describe how heart-wrenching yet inspirational it is going into the Royal hospital for neuro disability and seeing the patients, hearing the tragic reasons for them being there and meeting their parents, children, husbands/wives. 

So I wanted to do something to give a little  bit back, to raise money for this amazing hospital & also to support Joe. 

Originally I signed myself up to attempt the Eden half marathon but that just didn’t sit right with me. I don’t like to do things by half, literally! I can train for a marathon in 8 weeks right?! ‍

So my schedule of events are as follows:

Goldolphin Hill 10k - Friday 24th Aug
Truro Half Marathon - Sunday 16th Sept 
Eden FULL marathon - Sunday 14th Oct


I would like to point out a few little things that may encourage you to sponsor me a little more generously.... all these courses are classed as ‘challenging’ which basically means they are really hilly! 
And I do have two diagnosed bone conditions that make running absolute hell for me... scoliosis (back) & freibergs disease (feet) (feel free to google these!) So this will be the most gruelling and painful physical challenge of my life, but I have never been more motivated. If that boy can find the strength, bravery and courage to do what he does on a daily basis, and to laugh the whole way through, I sure as hell can drag my butt around that 26.2 miles! 


But in all seriousness I appreciate not everyone is in a position to be able to donate but literally every penny helps, it all adds up. So even if it’s a small amount it will go a long way. I would appreciate it if you could share this page & spread the word to help me to raise as much money as possible for this amazing hospital & for Joe’s fund to help with any equipment/therapies that he needs that may not be funded by our amazing NHS. (That’s the reason this is a gofundme page so I am able to split the funds between the two causes, & they don’t charge platform fees) 

I need as much motivation & support as possible to run/walk/crawl/cry my way around that course!!!


Life is so precious, we never think anything like this will happen to us or anyone close to us... until it does

Thank you