In January 2017 Adam Hawkins’ life changed dramatically. Having taken nothing more than a normal dose of Ibuprofen he suffered severe respiratory reactions. Then, in the weeks and months that followed, his health unravelled. Eventually, he discovered that he was suffering from aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD), also known as Samter’s Triad.

Adam provided Fifth Sense with a full account of his awful journey, which you can read here.

Among the many debilitating effects of AERD, loss of smell and taste feature prominently.

Adam turned to running. While fit, the forty-three-year old father of three had never run before, certainly not with the intensity he now brought to distance running. He found that preparing for and running half marathons helped him cope mentally. Sometimes the heavy physical exertion even returned fleeting moments of smell and taste.

Encouraged by all this – and some very good running times – Adam is testing his boundaries with a serious programme of marathons and extreme sporting challenges. He wants to show others that they shouldn’t let their disorders hold them back. For his first challenge – the Rutland Marathon on 22^nd September – Adam is fundraising for Fifth Sense. The timing of his run will also help support AERD Awareness Day on 26th September.

If you would like to sponsor Adam,

here is the link to his

virginmoney

fundraising page.