A Weston woman who finds walking a challenge is looking to raise awareness of the conditions that have led to her having to change her lifestyle.
Jo Moxon wants to raise money for Scleroderma & Raynaud’s UK (SRUK) by walking 19 miles for the 19,000 people in the UK who have the conditions.
The 49-year-old likes to keep fit but she now struggles with a number of day-to-day tasks.
She hopes to do the walk in the spring but the initial training had to be paused as she developed ulcers on her feet and toes, leading to six hours a day of hospital treatment every day for five days.
But Jo is determined to complete the challenge she’s set and live as normal a life as possible.
Scleroderma is a rare, chronic disease of the blood vessel, connective tissue and immune system. The latter becomes overactive and attacks healthy tissue within the body.
As a result she’s more reliant on husband Chris and her two sons, Tom and Will.
“I thought I was having a heart attack,” said Jo of the incident that led to her diagnosis. “I was having chest pains, shortness of breath, difficulty walking and generally felt unwell.
“I arranged for an online GP call and since then it’s been hospital visits, tests and diagnosis.
“Last year to the present day has been a little bit of a whirlwind and challenge to say the least.
“Last November I had to stop my job and although I have plans in the pipeline to change my work I am just getting myself on a somewhat even keel with medication and the new way of navigating a new chapter in my life.
“My family has been so very supportive and without them I know I wouldn’t have got through these difficult months.” She describes them as ‘phenomenal’.
“I am continually researching and reading ways the disease affects me and others and ways in which I and we as a family can adapt.”
Jo’s diagnosis has also led to her wanting to do the fundraiser for SRUK which says many families struggle to find the support necessary to understand and manage the condition. It aims to connect people, fund research and raise awareness of the condition.
“It is the only UK charity dedicated to improving the lives of people with scleroderma and Raynaud’s phenomenon,” Jo continued.
“I joined the support community and linked to them shortly after being diagnosed and began reading all about the charity. They have been phenomenal.
“The decision to do the walk was not only to help the charity by raising some monies to support and fund the innovative and vital research into the care and treatment of scleroderma and Raynaud’s, which provide support and information to each and everyone of us suffering from these conditions, but also to raise awareness of these conditions that affect so many people in so many different ways.
“I have never been someone that gives up and needed a challenge to regain my motivation and positive thinking after being diagnosed.
“The challenge is set and the money and support raised so far is incredible.”
You can donate at https://sclerodermaraynaudsuk.enthuse.com/pf/jo-moxon
