It's been over a year since I wrote to my group of fantastic
supporters. You've given me a ton of support in the past, and I'm going to ask
for your help again. This time, I'm asking you to support me in my next big challenge
- a 10k walk in December - and to help me raise funds for research into
therapies for spinal cord injuries.
I have signed up for the Standard Chartered 10k in Singapore on 1st December 2013. That’s a very big challenge for me - almost double the longest distance I've walked so far, and likely to take me well over 3 hours.
Over the last year the tone and spasticity caused by my injury has has increased, exacerbated by stress from uncertainties and pressures in all aspects of my life. Now I also experience constant neuropathic pain. There have been times in the last 12 months when I have questioned whether my progress has stopped or even gone backwards. I've fallen a few times and sustained a couple of injuries - nothing serious, but painful and a blow to my confidence. For such a long time my recovery rode on a crest of self assurance that I'd continue to get better. More recently, I've had to learn how to confront doubt and fear.
But I've stuck at it, and beneath all the difficulty my belief that I'll be fine has stayed intact - tested and battered, but still strong. Over the last few weeks I've had a number of breakthroughs. Things are looking clearer and brighter again, and my confidence is coming back. Signing up for the 10k has helped, motivating me to get myself out walking further and more frequently, and providing a screamingly loud reminder of the benefits of setting goals. Last week, I walked almost 13k across the week, and this morning I did a 5.5k walk - both new records for me, by big margins.
I know I am very lucky to be able to walk that far - in fact, to be able to walk at all, and to be fully functional and able to live independently. Most people with this injury never walk again and face a lifetime of serious medical complications and care dependency.
Today, there is no cure for a spinal cord injury. But there has been progress and researchers are getting closer to therapies that would help restore function and transform the lives of paralysed people. I want to support that. I will be raising funds for Spinal Research, a UK based charity funding medical research around the world to develop reliable treatments for paralysis.
http://www.spinal-research.org
There's a partly selfish motive here - I live in the hope that science might find a therapy that resolves my remaining physical challenges. But I don't know whether that's on the horizon. What I do know is that the work being funded by Spinal Research - and others like them - is getting closer to treatments that will help restore some function and movement to spinal cord injured people. I'd like to help, and this is one way I can do it.
Please support me in this, by donating to Spinal Research via my JustGiving page: http://www.justgiving.com/Paul-Fairhurst
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.
If you want to follow my progress towards the race and on the day, please like my Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/paul10kchallenge
Thanks for helping. Wish me luck!
Paul
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