Hey everyone! On May 5 2024, I will be completing my first Ironman in Port Macquarie. This is a call for help as I punish my body for a day to raise as much funds and awareness for our incredible friend Laura Keogh, who is battling the debilitating effects of a cerebrospinal fluid leak (CSF), an extremely rare and hard to treat condition. An Ironman involves swimming 3.8km, cycling 180km and running/crawling 42.2km. It might sound tough but its nothing compared to what Laura has been going through. In early 2021, Laura became very unwell suddenly with no obvious explanation. She developed severe headaches and neurological symptoms that has since left her bedridden with significant pain, making it incredibly difficult for her to function day to day. After a number of tests, she was diagnosed with a spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid leak. The leak is so severe that her surgeon said it was one of the worst tears he’d ever seen, leading to a range of distressing symptoms for Laura including excruciating headaches, along with tinnitus, light and sound sensitivity, eye pain, severe nerve pain, and cognitive deficits encompassing memory issues, reduced processing speed, and speech challenges. Three years on, Laura still battles persistent illness, rendering her incapable of maintaining a normal life. Laura can’t work, she can’t exercise. She can’t go to the groceries or go out for brunch. A ten minute walk around the block is often too much as the only relief she can get is when she’s lying completely flat. She’s missed weddings, birthdays, moments that she will never get back. She has endured four significant spinal surgeries, two brain surgeries necessitating ICU stays, and approximately 22 spinal injections involving lumbar punctures, myelogram procedures, blood patching, and glue patching. Most recently she underwent an invasive venous manometry test, to check for narrowing within the brain veins. There is also a possibility of the need for stents in the near future. The future remains unclear for Laura, and the need for a potentially expensive trip to Mayo clinic, America, for treatment may be required. Laura’s illness continues to take a considerable financial and emotional toll on Laura and her husband Michael. Each visit to hospital and specialists brings with it unforeseen costs and time away from loved ones. If you know Laura, you know how driven and determined she is. Before the CSF leak, she was never at home. Netball, teaching, hosting high teas, raising awareness for endometriosis and most importantly looking out for her friends and family. It’s time we return the favour. Laura and Michael have been battling this illness together for so long and we thought it would be a great way to show our support and raise as much funds and awareness to make life just a bit easier for them. If you can please donate, please share her story or learn more about CSF https://spinalcsfleak.org Thank you for your support, James (with support from athletic development coach/content creator Sinead Pearson)