Megan Innocent, who has lived with fibromyalgia since childhood, will hike the 96-mile West Highland Way to raise money for two charities she says “saved” her
Megan Innocent will walk 96 miles for charity, despite living with chronic pain(Image: Megan Innocent – Submitted)
A Grimsby author is undertaking a gruelling walk to raise funds for two local charities who “saved her”, despite suffering from a rare condition that leaves her in constant pain. Megan Innocent will hike the 96-mile West Highland Way and battle through pain caused by fibromyalgia, an incurable condition which she has experienced since childhood.
She said the challenge is going to be especially tough given her worsening health. The neurological disease causes body pain, extreme fatigue and sleep problems. Most recently, the illness has affected her arms and her ability to grip things with her hands.
Determined Megan is no stranger to doing difficult things in the name of charity work. Last year, she took to the skies and jumped out of a plane to raise funds for Dementia UK. But even then, she knew the extreme challenges she put her body through were going to have to soon stop.
This final physically-demanding challenge will see Megan, accompanied by her partner Rob De Freitas, begin at Milngavie, near Glasgow, and finish seven days later in Fort William. On the shortest day they plan to complete nine miles, and the longest day will see them walking 19 miles. Megan admits she is nervous, but is determined to complete the challenge for her chosen charities.
“I struggle walking on a daily basis, so it’s going to be really hard and I’m really worried about it but it’s for two really good causes. I’m scared and my partner is worried about getting so far in and we can’t continue. But it’s the donations for these causes that make it worth it. It’s 100% the last big physical challenge I can do. I struggled with the skydive last year because I struggled to lift my legs on landing. I struggle walking now and have had to cut my hours at work. Every aspect of my life has to be planned.”
Symptoms of fibromyalgia appeared when Megan was around 10 years old, but it would be years before she was diagnosed with the condition. The 31-year-old said: “I was always really weak in my arms. When one of my sisters used to pretend to lightly punch me in the top of my arm, I’d be in so much pain. I didn’t know back then, but it was an onset of it. It started at about 10 years old but I’ve only just realised what it is. It’s 100% the last big physical challenge I can do. There’s no cure for it, there’s no good day. There are some that are more manageable but I can’t remember the last time I wasn’t in pain. I’ve got to be realistic but charity work has been a part of my life since I was nine.”
Historical fiction writer Megan grew up in Grimsby and still lives in the area. The two charities she is supporting, Holy Trinity Church in Barrow and Youth Nights in Market Rasen, are close to her heart. She was introduced to the church by her grandmother, Joyce, who was her biggest supporter and passed away last year. Megan said: “The charities are really important to me. The church has helped me after my really traumatic childhood.
“My nanna was there for me and got me into the church, which gave me a sense of community and feeling safe. I didn’t have that a lot growing up. When Nanna passed away last year I went back to church and they gave me such a feeling of safety. The church saved me, really, and I don’t think they even know that. I want to be able to do something for them. They do so much for schools and food banks.
“And the youth centre, it’s the same kind of thing. I started volunteering there, and every time I go I think that if I’d had that safe place to go when I was a kid, things might’ve been different. If any of those children are going through something at home, they have that safe place to escape to.” She is hoping that funds raised from her walk help the centre take the kids on days out and update their equipment. Megan said: “My condition has got worse now and it’s affected more parts of my body. I thought ‘if this is the last fundraiser I can do with my body I want it to be the biggest one yet’.”
Megan, who has been writing books for over 20 years, is seeking sponsorship and donations towards her walk, which is set to begin on August 25. She has secured sponsorship from Waltham-based T K Garnett Engineering but says more financial help is needed to support their cause. Every day she does the walk, anyone that donates will go into a raffle and one winner will receive a signed copy of one of her books. To support Megan by donating, visit her Just Giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/megan-innocent
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