Katy's fundraiser for migraine care for NATIONAL MIGRAINE CENTRE
I am fundraising for the National Migraine Centre for the purpose of raising awareness of vestibular migraine and, most importantly, to help individuals living with this often misdiagnosed condition access the support and treatment they require.
As a GP with a Special Interest in Neurology (GPwSI) working for the charity, I have seen first hand the widespread effects migraine attacks can have on a person’s quality of life. Vestibular migraine can be challenging to diagnose and to recognise because its symptoms may overlap with other conditions. Dizziness, vertigo, imbalance, visual disturbance, nausea and sensory sensitivity can be disabling and challenging to live with.
Having access to headache professionals who are striving to help for no financial gain and receiving a diagnosis and tailored treatment is exactly what patients experiencing migraine attacks require. Accessing specialist care through secondary care services can involve lengthy waits, leaving people struggling with symptoms while they wait for help to arrive. Raising awareness, and funds can help the National Migraine Centre continue providing specialist support and improving access to care for people affected by this debilitating condition.
This cause is particularly personal to me because I am a migraine sufferer myself.
I work for the National Migraine Centre because I genuinely believe in what it does. The team behind this charity are there because they truly want to make a difference. It is work I have chosen to do because the cause matters to me, and because I have always felt valued and appreciated there — both as a neurology specialist and simply as an entity. Interestingly, despite feeling such a strong sense of connection to my colleagues, I have never actually met many of them in person or worked alongside them under the same roof. That makes the sense of shared purpose all the more meaningful to me.
So, I have decided to put myself outside my comfort zone. I am going horse riding for the first time and for multiple times.
For someone who has experienced vestibular migraine attacks and who has multiple family members with this condition, deliberately putting myself in an unfamiliar and uncomfortable situation is a personal challenge. That discomfort feels worthwhile if it can help raise awareness of vestibular migraine, encourage people to seek help, and raise funds for our charity and organisation.
Patients experiencing these attacks would find activities such as this one would have to be avoided as it can trigger and worsen symptoms.
Horse riding does not come naturally to me! But often one needs to step outside their comfort zones to make a difference.
If you are able to support me and the National Migraine Centre, every donation, however small, will help me turn this personal challenge into something meaningful for people living with migraine particularly vestibular migraine.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story, for helping me raise awareness, and for supporting the National Migraine Centre.
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