Fundraising for Asthma + Lung UK gave me a surprising realisation

Earlier this year, Grace , who is part of our Research + Innovation team, challenged herself to walk 100 miles in March to raise money for Asthma + Lung UK. After signing up, she had the surprising realisation that she was one of the one in five people in the UK who will be diagnosed with a lung condition in their lifetime. Here she tells us about her staggering diagnosis of tuberculosis and her fundraising journey.

When I originally signed up to the 100 miles in March challenge, it was mainly to support the new fundraising initiative dreamt up by the wonderful team I used to work in. And, of course, to fundraise in aid of Asthma + Lung UK – the incredible charity I’m proud to have worked for for almost five years.

A surprising realisation

I’m acutely aware of how the work we do and the funds we raise help the one in five people in the UK who are diagnosed with a lung condition in their lifetime. I’ve worked in both the Fundraising and Research + Innovation teams – either raising the vital funds for the charity or being part of the team that decides which ground-breaking and life-changing research we fund.

After signing up, I realised that actually I am a ‘one’ of the one in five people in the UK who will diagnosed with a lung condition at some point in their life.

A shocking diagnosis

In 2018, aged 24, I was surprised to be diagnosed with latent tuberculosis (TB) having been contacted by NHS England. I was informed that I was at risk of contracting TB as someone I was in close contact with had recently been diagnosed with active TB. Close contacts of people with active TB are invited for testing as TB is extremely contagious.

I remember being staggered by the diagnosis. TB to me was a medieval-sounding disease that I couldn’t believe I’d have been at the threat of getting. Of five people tested, I was the only one to receive a positive result for latent TB – the less severe of the two kinds of TB – having missed the cut off for the BCG vaccination where I grew up in Kent by a year and therefore not being protected.

The treatment for latent TB was a three month course of strong antibiotics which came with a number of caveats. I couldn’t drink alcohol, the antibiotics stopped my contraceptive pill from working effectively, and my urine would be bright orange.

A condition I’ll live with for the rest of my life

This is a diagnosis that I have to live with for the rest of my life. The latent TB treatment sadly isn’t curative – but it does massively reduce the chances of becoming ill with active TB. Every time I develop a cough that lingers for more than 10 days, I have to go and get checked out by my GP. Just a few months ago I was in hospital for a chest x-ray just to make sure that everything was okay.

Understanding what it’s like struggling to breathe

More recently, I’ve been struggling with some post-viral breathlessness. This basically means that since I had a cold in December, I’ve been getting breathless even just walking around the house. It’s given me just a small insight into what it’s like to struggle to breathe – it’s terrifying, debilitating and I felt really embarrassed by it. I don’t know how I’d cope if I had to live with this forever.

Kickstarting my fitness journey

Thinking that the 100 Miles in March challenge might kickstart my otherwise lacking fitness of late, I decided that to celebrate my 29th birthday this year I would doubly challenge myself by committing to running 29 of the 100 miles.

I don’t think I realised what I’d challenged myself to until I started telling people. I am by no means a runner. But I’m a keen walker - especially when joined by my puppy, Cooper - so I’d thought about a mile a day wouldn’t be too gruelling. I also – foolishly – thought it would get it easier as the month went on.

I was wrong! It was so hard. Fitting the challenge in around work and all other life commitments was a challenge in itself. It didn’t help that it didn’t stop raining for the whole month so I ended up doing my 29 miles of running on a treadmill!

Keeping me going over the finish line

But what kept me going was the generosity I was shown by family, friends, colleagues and even anonymous strangers who sponsored me for my efforts. By the end of my challenge I’d raised £1,255. I was staggered by the generosity – I’d never imagined I would raise that much.

It’s fair to say that I was pleased when the challenge was over. My legs were in bits as I crossed the metaphorical finish line on the treadmill on the last day of March. Towards the end I had wondered if I could finish what I’d started and was so overcome with emotion – and pride in myself – that I wept a little once I was done. I was SO proud of myself for finishing and for raising so much money that I know will be spent so well.

Just go for it

I would encourage anyone considering taking on their own challenge to fundraise for Asthma + Lung UK to go for it. You’ll not only get the satisfaction of fundraising for a brilliant charity doing incredible work, but also the personal satisfaction of completing the challenge – whatever it is. You’ll be staggered by what you can achieve, and the generosity of those around you. And you’ll know the money you raise can make such a difference to the lives of people living with a lung condition.

Inspired by Grace’s story? Why not take on your own challenge to raise vital funds for lung health? Check out our range of events. Or take on your own! A sponsored walk, bake sale, coffee morning… choose your own adventure. We’ll support you every step of the way.

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