Hi Everyone,
My name is Veronica and this year I have decided to run a Half Marathon to raise money for 2 very special charities close to my heart. I will also be holding a Charity Music Gig to increase funds raised and continue to raise awareness for these two charities.
My first chosen charity is Latnem Peer Support. They support birthing mums struggling with mental health. The service they provide is invaluable.
Following the birth of my youngest son I struggled immensely with my mental health. Unfortunately at the time I was unaware of Latnem, however had I known about them it would have made a huge difference to my life to have had the support that they provide. Last year I also had a mental health breakdown and found myself in a very dark place. This year I intend on attending meetings with Latnem so that I have support in place should I ever experience any further mental health struggles in the future.
Did you know that around 1 in 5 women will develop a mental illness in the ante/perinatal period?
At Latnem they have lived experience and have been there themselves and now provide a safe, free peer support group for mums and birthing people in Scotland.
Latnem provide a comprehensive mental health peer support service for mothers and birthing people in Scotland which I feel is extremely important as many mums put their own Mental Health struggles aside to try and just get on with it, As I always say, Mum’s Minds Matter and mum’s need to look after themselves too.
For my second charity, I have selected Muscular Dystrophy UK. My niece and her daughter were diagnosed with Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 following the birth of her daughter. She was born with clubfoot which led to a series of tests later discovering that she had a genetic, progressive muscle degenerative disorder, as this is hereditary, it also led to my niece receiving a diagnosis of the same condition.
The muscular dystrophies are a group of rare conditions that gradually cause muscles to weaken and waste. Sometimes you may see or hear them being talked about as neuromuscular conditions, or as a muscle wasting and weakening condition.
MD typically affects muscles of movement and commonly the electrical conduction system of the heart, breathing muscles, swallowing muscles, bowels, lens of the eye and brain.
The age when symptoms start varies a lot and can be any time from birth to later in life, depending on severity, symptoms can severely impact the life of a person living with Myotonic Dystrophy.
Muscular Dystrophy UK fund groundbreaking research to understand the different conditions better, helping to lead to new treatments; they work with the NHS towards universal access to specialist healthcare and together, they campaign for people’s rights, better understanding, accessibility, and access to treatments.
Your support in my fundraising is extremely appreciated.