A woman from Leicestershire living with multiple sclerosis (MS) has completed a 5,000 mile walking challenge, raising almost £5000 for the MS Society.
Jemma Redden, from Market Harborough, set herself the target of walking 5,000 miles for charity when she hit 35 years old. The aim was to take on the challenge over five years, completing it by the time she turned 40.
Picture credit: MS Society
Jemma reached her target while taking part in the MS Society’s MS Walk in Glasgow on Saturday 13 September – three days before her birthday. She took on the 20km route with her dog Max. Jemma has walked an average of 20 miles a week for the last five years.
More than 150,000 people live with MS in the UK. MS affects the brain and spinal cord and impacts how people move, think and feel.? Symptoms are different for everybody and often invisible. For this reason Jemma named her challenge #Invisible40.
Jemma was diagnosed with relapsing MS in 2008 at 23 years old. She says: “When I hit 35, I thought ‘five years ago I walked 1,000 miles with #Invisible30. My legs still work, I can still move forward, so why not set myself a bigger challenge before I reach 40?’ It was about raising awareness for the invisible side of MS but also proving to myself that I could keep going. MS doesn’t give you consistency. Some days it’s nerve pain, some days it’s exhaustion, some days my memory just isn’t there. The hardest part has been keeping momentum, learning to rest when I need to, but not giving up altogether.”
MS Walk takes place across the UK in six major cities. Each route is fully accessible and offers a range of distances to ensure the walk is open to all.
On reaching the finish line in Glasgow and completing the 5,000 miles, Jemma says: “I feel so proud, tired, a little stunned. When you live with a condition like MS, you’re never sure what the future holds, so to have actually made it this far feels huge. It’s not just about the miles; it’s about knowing I kept going. Without doubt, the best thing about the challenge has been the people. Friends, strangers, other people with MS – walking alongside me, cheering me on, sharing their own stories. Those moments remind me it’s bigger than my personal journey; it’s about community, connection and hope. Over the last year, I set up a women’s only walking community. It started out as finding company along my miles but has since grown into a growing community of over 1,100 women and I have made many wonderful friends for life.”
Mark Haymes, Head of Community and Events Fundraising at MS Society, says: “We can’t thank Jemma enough for the dedication and determination she has shown over her five-year challenge – what a huge achievement! Over 150,000 people in the UK live with MS and it is the most common neurological condition among young adults. The MS Society is here for everyone affected by the condition and fundraisers like Jemma are vital in ensuring we can carry out our work. A huge thank you and well done to Jemma!”
