Daventry woman in training for first ever marathon to help people with tinnitus

Christina Kennedy, 42, is raising money for charity in the virtual Virgin Money London Marathon on October 3.

She is taking part in the marathon in support of the British Tinnitus Association (BTA), a charity that has helped her manage her tinnitus, a debilitating condition that affects around 80,000 adults in Northamptonshire alone.

Christina first got in touch with the BTA Tinnitus Support Team back in August 2019 after having an ear infection and experiencing tinnitus for the first time.

She said: “I became severely distressed, anxious and constantly panicked. During what I call my crisis stage, I never thought I’d be able to live normally again. I remember my boyfriend taking me to the doctors in the car and I had a complete panic attack, we had to stop, and I called the BTA helpline, I was so desperate. That phone call was the start of my healing process.

“With some help and a lot of determination to not let tinnitus control or define my life, I am now in a much, much better place, however it breaks my heart when I speak to people new to tinnitus who are deeply suffering and receive little or no support from their GP.”

The British Tinnitus Association’s vision is 'A world where no one suffers from tinnitus' which Christina fully supports.

She said:“Having tinnitus and coming out of the worse of it has really inspired me to help others and also raise awareness. I’m proud to raise awareness for such a charity close to my heart.”

She is hoping that by completing the 26.2-mile challenge– even if it’s a combination of walking, jogging or crawling – she can raise vital funds to make sure people can access the support they need now, and fund future tinnitus research, to ultimately find a cure.

Donate to her fundraising page at justgiving.com/fundraising/christina-kennedy4, or visit tinnitus.org.uk/challenge-yourself to take part in your own challenge.