Learning at the age of 22 that she would need to take lifelong daily replacement thyroid hormone was
extremely overwhelming for Belinda. Despite her hypothyroidism affecting her energy levels and joints, Belinda wanted to push herself by undertaking the London Landmarks Half Marathon in aid of the BTF.

She said: The resources you provide make managing thyroid disease so much easier. You are an unbiased and caring charity, and I would be lost without you. So I wanted to fundraise to help others who are newly diagnosed or living with thyroid disorders. As it was my first half marathon, this was a huge challenge but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I’m not much of a runner and have found it so hard to manage training and diet with my hypothyroidism, but I had a lot of support. The first three miles were a breeze
and I had a lovely time chatting to some people about the work the BTF’s work. There were moments
when I thought ‘I’m not sure if I’ll cross the line’ but then I remembered just how many people had sponsored me and how many more would benefit from the money raised. Making it to
the finish line, I almost forgot to keep running because I wanted to soak up how great that feeling was! I
completed it in 2:46:09 smashing all of my expectations.

Belinda raised £150 for our work.

Belinda during the race!	Belinda's victory pose