Oliva Bottomley has never wanted to let the fact that she has auto-immune hepatitis hold her back so on Sunday, the 33-year-old from Wolverhampton will be taking on the London Marathon in a bid to raise £2000 for the British Liver Trust.
“I was 13 years old and living in the US when I was diagnosed with AIH, explains Olivia, an underwriting quality assurance analyst. “And although my condition has to be managed with daily medication, I am fortunate that I can pretty much get on with my life, but that’s not the case for everyone with liver disease. The London Marathon is something I’ve always wanted to do, and it’s brilliant to know that this challenge will help others in my situation.
“From my point of view, the support groups and online community which the British Liver Trust provides are a real lifeline. Being diagnosed with such a serious condition and going through treatment is overwhelming, and even now I find it really helpful to be able to read other people’s experiences or speak to others who have gone through the same thing as me.”
Olivia knew that preparing for the marathon would be a real commitment: “It’s the perfect time in my life to do this as I am a homeowner with no children or pets, so I’ve had the time and resources to acquire everything I need in terms of trainers, running kit etc and also to do the training. I can’t imagine how I would do this if I had extra responsibilities!
“Training has been tough – I’ve had a few shin and calf problems which have necessitated physio trips and also had flu which took me out of training for 11 days. Because of my AIH I’ve not been able to take anything to aid recovery as this would stimulate the immune system which is the last thing I need! So, I’ve had to do a lot of rest and listening to my body.
“Now the big day is drawing near, I am both nervous and excited. This will be my first marathon and if I can complete it and hit my fundraising target for a cause which means so much to me, I’ll be delighted.”
Audrey Cornelius, Director of Fundraising at the British Liver Trust said: “As a charity, we are leading the fight against liver disease and liver cancer. We reach over two million people each year; providing information and support to patients and families and providing vital advice to help people improve their liver health. But there is still so much to be done. We’re so grateful to Olivia. It’s really inspiring to see her taking on the London Marathon to support us, despite managing her own liver condition, and we hope she really enjoys the occasion. We shall be there on the day cheering her on!”
You can support Olivia’s London Marathon challenge at British Liver Trust: Olivia’s page
