Why I'm running the London Marathon for Tourettes Action

Posted Tue 8th Apr 2014 at 12:00
by Lucy Dixon

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We caught up with 23 year old Lucy to find out who inspired her to run the London Marathon for TA.

My mum inspired me to run the marathon. She has suffered from Tourettes ever since she can really remember and has witnessed first-hand the leaps and bounds in the progress made in research.

When she was young, Tourettes was barely known at all, and now it is widely recognised with a range of viable treatments. However, I still feel there is a way to go in really understanding the disorder, as well as increasing public awareness of where the disorder stems from and life is like for its sufferers.

As the disorder is believed to be hereditary, there is a strong possibility that my children could inherit it and could therefore benefit from the continued research and new treatments that will be available to them in years to come. I therefore want to raise money to help fund further research into the disorder.

What impact has your mother’s diagnosis had on you?

My mum’s self-confidence has been hugely dented by the disorder from years of not having anything to control her tics. It is really sad hearing her talk about the physical and emotional pain she went through from having suffered with it for so long.

When she was finally put on medication in her 30s, the side-effects were so bad that she was unable to drive and therefore could not take us young kids anywhere. I know this made her feel hugely restricted and reliant on my dad to support her. However, in a positive sense, I think that living with someone with this kind of condition really makes you appreciate some of the daily struggles that people go through when suffering from disorders such as these, and makes you even more grateful for the small things in life.

Have you undertaken a challenge like this before?

I have never undertaken anything like this before. I volunteer for a number of charities and have raised money for TA in the past but nothing on this scale! The marathon truly takes over your life – when you’re not training, you’re fundraising!

What do you hope to achieve through your fundraising event?

I hope to raise at least £1700 for research into TA. I have also already found that by running for TA, I have already increased the awareness as most people are intrigued by why I am running for TA in particular and tend to ask more about the disorder as a result.

How is the training going?  - Do you have a training plan?  Are you enjoying it?

The training is very intense. The event itself is just under three weeks away and I have been training since October. I have recently increased my level of training and have joined the gym to ensure that every inch of me is fit enough. I am really nervous, especially as I doing it alone, but also excited. I am following the Virgin London Marathon training plan which completely takes over your life – training 6/7 days a week has now become the norm! I am very much enjoying the whole experience and can’t wait for the day – I got my running number sent through the post last week which is very exciting indeed!

How is the fundraising going?

Fundraising is going fine. I am hoping to reach £2,000 as I have reached over £1,800.

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