Tuesday 23 June 2015

10km For ME

On Sunday 28th June, my beautiful Mum and cousin Kerri are walking 10km through the South Downs.

Back in May I attended a ME conference in Burgess Hill. Mum and Kerri came with me, and whilst there, they decided to sign up to walk 10km to raise money for the charity, reMEmber. I was quite astonished when they came up to me with their sponsor forms - they are doing this walk for me, because they love me. They both know how much research needs to go into ME to find out just about everything about this debilitating illness. The medical world, actually the whole world, know hardly anything about this horrible and sometimes life threatening illness. 

As you may know, I used to be the biggest fitness fanatic ever. Working as a gymnastics coach, six days a week with people aged between two and 18 became my life. I loved what I did. Coaching was not work, it was my passion and I loved every single day of it. I used to participate in adult classes too which trumped the coaching! I would rather have been participating than coaching (when you're so passionate about something, surely that rings true?!) but if I couldn't participate, I was there being the best coach I could be. Then, fitted in there somewhere, I would go to my local sports centre and use their gym (weights, cross-trainer, etc.), sometimes twice a day if I had the time. Gymnastics and fitness were my life. 

After a holiday to Spain in September 2011, my body was slowing down. I wasn't able to go to the gym twice a day anymore. I wasn't able to train for two and a half hours in adult classes and I was falling asleep EVERYWHERE. You name it, I fell asleep there, despite my usual 10 hours sleep!  

On 17th October 2011 I completed my Level 2 Gymnastics Coaching qualification. My gymnasts had been fab in the practical exam, I had completed a logbook that took over a year to do, I had taken written exams and I HAD PASSED! I couldn't wait for the next day, to go into the gym as a qualified Level 2 coach and to book straight onto my Level 3 course. I didn't want to hang around. I wanted to be the best coach I could, I wanted to learn more, I wanted more responsibility, I wanted to be able to coach more difficult moves. I was hungry for more. However, it didn't turn out how I anticipated. 

That following day, Monday 18th, I got to work and my Head Coach told me right away to go home. I was not well and she could see it. I, of course resisted and said I would be fine. Daph was not having any of it and resorted to ringing my Mum and asking her to come and pick me up from the gym as I didn't want to leave.

I left the gym that day and haven't been back to coach since. This makes me extremely emotional. I try not to think too much about gymnastics as I always end up upset about how my body as become and how I can't do what I used to do. I loved nothing more than flinging myself about (that's a technical term!) and doing my thing. Now you will catch me in bed or in my wheelchair. This breaks my heart. ME changes lives in many ways, some positive, some negative. ME has taught me valuable lessons along the way but it has taken gymnastics away from me and that, I hate. 

HOWEVER, one day, you will see me back in the gym club. You will see me back training and coaching. I will get better and I WILL be there. I'll get back to my love one day, I know I will. To help me get back there quicker, you can help. Please please please donate anything at all, even if its 50p or a £1. Imagine if everyone that knows me gave just 50p or a £1, imagine how much I would raise. The money raised goes to reMEmber, which is a registered charity. Please, I need your help. I so desperately want to help fund the future research. We need to learn about ME, we need to know what we are dealing with and we need to help improve all of the sufferers lives. Your money can do that. 

I cannot put into words how thankful I am to my Mum and Kerri for doing this for me. I love you both so so much. THANK YOU.

And you, thank you for reading this. And if you do donate at all, then my thanks in advance go to you. It means the absolute world to me that people care about me and ME so much, that they would donate. 

Sending all my love to you, and sorry for the emotional middle, 

Take care,

Rachie xxxx

HERE ARE THE LINKS: It all goes to the same charity, so it doesn't matter which page you donate on. THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART xxx

https://www.justgiving.com/KarenBlunden/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=fundraisingpage&utm_content=KarenBlunden&utm_campaign=pfp-share

https://www.justgiving.com/Kerri-Dobson/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=shares-from-eua&utm_content=Kerri-Dobson&utm_campaign=eua-share-facebook&fb_ref=Default