Harry's Manchester Marathon 2023

Last year, me and some of my school friends decided that we wanted to run the Manchester marathon. We have each picked a charity to raise funds for individually, and I have decided to raise money for the Addison's Disease Self Help Group (ADSHG).

I was diagnosed with Addison's Disease in 2017. It is a rare autoimmune disease which affects the adrenal glands. It means the adrenal gland is damaged and therefore it does not produce enough cortisol. As a result, someone with Addison's Disease needs to take pills for the rest of their life. This is fortunately the most invasive part of having Addison's Disease, and I have so far been able to (and hopefully will continue to) live a normal life. The biggest struggle with Addison's Disease is often the diagnosis, as the symptoms can often be wrongly associated with other medical issues. This means that diagnosis is often a long and horrible process, and can sometimes lead to death if the disease is not diagnosed in time. This is my main motivation to raise funds for this cause, to generate some awareness for a very rare disease, hopefully leading to fewer people not being diagnosed in time. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the amazing doctors and nurses who diagnosed me and looked after me.

Thank you for listening to my sob story, and thank you in advance for any donations that you make :)

More information about Addison's Disease Self Help Group (ADSHG): We support people affected by Addison's Disease, a rare endocrine disorder where the adrenal glands do not produce enough steroid hormones. The condition affects almost 10,000 people in the UK and ROI. The ADSHG was founded in 1984 to support anyone affected by Adrenal Insufficiency.