Round up the kids, grab the dog or a group of friends and get outside – it’s time to tell meningitis to Jog On
Every year Meningitis Now supporters up and down the country put on their running shoes and sign up to run 50k in 50 days and try and raise £50 to help people living with the impact of meningitis.
This year we’d love to see loads of families get involved, although of course we welcome anyone who wants to take on the challenge!
Launching Jog On Meningitis 2019, Meningitis Now Community Fundraiser Sarah Lockey said, “Jog On is a great way to get all the family out together in the fresh air during the summer holidays."
“Or you could round up some friends, take the dog for a quick run, use this as a training tool towards a longer running challenge like a marathon or half marathon… the possibilities are endless."
“We all know the physical benefits of exercise but it’s so important to understand the mental benefits as well."
“And doing something like this as a family or a group of friends can only help to bring you closer together.”
Sarah explained that Jog On is a very popular Meningitis Now event because it's so simple. All you need to do is commit to running a total of 50k over 50 days and you’re good to go.
Living with the impact of meningitis
Money raised from Jog On Meningitis will, like all of our events, help families living with the impact of meningitis. This includes Kye Vincent and his family, who live in Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire.
Kye contracted bacterial meningitis in 2016 when he was eight years old. Kye now uses prosthetics after both his legs were amputated, but mum Cheryl said he was doing amazingly well and nothing was holding him back. She spoke about the way money raised by our supporters helped them.
“Meningitis Now supported me, Kye and the whole family when he was first in hospital,” she said, remembering back to the difficult days when he was first ill.
“I had just had a baby and Layla was only six days old. Kye’s hospital mentioned you guys (Meningitis Now)."
“When they moved Kye from intensive care to the ward the hospital gave permission for me to stay with him with Layla, but not my husband."
“It was Meningitis Now that paid for his hotel and travel expenses so that Luke was able to support me. It was a difficult time – Kye was in hospital for a total of 38 weeks.”
The help from the charity didn’t stop there either – Meningitis Now also helped fund therapy for Kye after he left hospital.
“We were desperate, we didn’t even have an income at the time” Cheryl told us. “If it hadn’t been for Meningitis Now I don’t know what we would have done. We would have been really stuck at a really, really stressful time."
“I just want everyone to know that every bit of money really helps families like us.”
If you want to help raise money to help families like the Vincents, please sign up to Jog On Meningitis.
