Last week marked Chronic Disease Awarness Day, a moment to shine a light on the struggles and successes faced by those living with chronic illnesses.
Phoebe Anderson, 24, was diagnosed with lupus five years ago when she first started at the University of Oxford.
This year, she took on the challenge of running 26.2 miles in the London Marathon on behalf of Lupus UK.
Anderson said: “I was never really a sporty person but once I felt the freedom to move being taken away from me I knew I did not want to waste the energy I had left.
“When I saw I had been accepted for the London Marathon I was over the moon, then the reality of the training set in
“But after doing months of preparation, and the experience of the day itself, I am so glad I pushed myself to enter. Finishing, and getting my medal, I did feel really proud of myself. It is like a bucket list feeling set in.”
Lupus is an autoimmune condition which causes the body to attack healthy tissue. It can lead to debilitating symptoms of joint pain, inflammation and fatigue.
According to Lupus UK, 90% of sufferers are women aged between 15 and 55.
Lupus UK said: “Our lupus research team are doing a fantastic job but research is expensive and we receive no funding from the government or NHS so rely upon lovely people doing wonderful fundraising for us.”
According to organisers, more than £75 million was raised for charity during the London Marathon.
The event also broke a new Guinness World Record, for the largest number of finishers in a marathon.
Anderson said: “I did not even know until a few days after that I am technically a world record holder
“That just seems bizarre, I did think there was a lot of people but I honestly had no idea what to expect
“Its a fun fact that means all the effort was worth it.”
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Feature image: London Marathon Events
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