Driven by a desire to increase awareness and raise money for research, Jade Anderson is running the Bidwells Cambridge 10k on Sunday 5 October in memory of her brother Simon, who lived with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and sadly died in 2001 aged 13. She tells us why it’s important for her to do this in his name.
“I want to keep my brother’s memory alive”
I never met my brother Simon as he sadly died before I was born, but I will always raise awareness and let his name be heard.
I’m doing this for him and my dearest brother James, who lost his big brother and best friend; as well as my amazing parents, Andrew and Susan, who dedicated their lives to caring for their eldest son while he was on this earth, ensuring he lived his life to the full and got to go everywhere he wanted to go.
I want to keep Simon’s memory alive and help people understand more about Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which he lived with his whole life, until he unfortunately lost his battle at the age of 13.
While I never got to meet him, I know that he was very close to my other brother James, who was only nine when Simon died. They did everything together. And my parents both treasured the time they got with Simon, making the most of every moment.
“Dad refers to him as his ‘best mate’ and mum put all her time and energy into making his life the best it could be. They’re all very proud that I’m running for Simon.”
Doing this in his memory is very important to me. My brother and parents tell me about Simon’s optimism and resilience, and that he was always positive despite the challenges he faced. People with shorter lives sometimes get forgotten but Simon made a huge impact on everyone around him.
“Even in death, he helped people as he was an organ donor. In a way it’s comforting to know that he is helping others live life to the full.”
While raising money to help fund research into muscle wasting conditions is important to me, I’m also keen to raise awareness. I want people to care and understand how much conditions like Duchenne muscular dystrophy impact individuals and their families.
It’s not spoken about enough and is detrimental to all involved. If me doing this helps just one person learn a bit more about muscular dystrophy then that’s a good thing.
Support Jade's fundraising
By supporting Jade’s fundraising efforts, you’ll be contributing to crucial research and support for individuals living with a muscle wasting condition.
Inspired by Jade's story?
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