My Story

This year I am taking part in the Great North Run. Yes I run for fun and this will be my sixth official half marathon race, but this time it’s more personal as I am raising money for a charity that is close to me. 

In 2021, after lots of back and forth with GPs and hospital appointments, my dad was diagnosed with Genetic Haemochromatosis (GH). GH is caused by a faulty gene which causes excess iron absorption from the diet, leading to a build-up of iron in the body to toxic levels. In turn, this causes a wide range of symptoms and follow on conditions, some of which can be very serious or indeed, in the worst cases, fatal.

Haemochromatosis UK is the UK’s only charity for people affected by GH. They work to raise awareness, provide support to people living with the condition, deliver education and undertake vital medical research. The charity links thousands of people affected by GH through events, social media and other activities.

The charity has four key objectives:

• to provide information and support to patients and their families

• to educate healthcare professionals, patients and others about GH and its impact

• to raise public awareness of GH and of the importance of early intervention

• to stimulate and influence research into the science, impact and statistics of GH

Thanks to HUK, our family has been able to undertake genetic testing to find out if we also have the faulty gene. Symptoms usually develop between the ages of 30 and 60, so early testing is crucial to seek treatment to mitigate symptoms in the future and prevent the onset of irreversible damage to the organs.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I am grateful for everyone’s support.