Hannah's story
Hannah ran the AJ Bell Great Bristol 10K in aid of Eczema UK, raising £260 and achieving a new personal best of 1:07:40. Here, in her own words, she shares the story behind her race:
A message from Hannah:
Hello, my name is Hannah, and I will be running the AJ Bell Great Bristol 10K Run to fundraise for Eczema UK.
Eczema UK aids research into Eczema, as well as advocating for those suffering from it, and empowering eczema sufferers to make the best decisions for their skin. Eczema is a skin condition, often characterised by itchy, dry and inflamed patches of skin. There are many types of eczema, including atopic eczema, contact dermatitis, discoid eczema, pompholyx (dyshidrotic eczema) and varicose eczema.
Eczema UK is a charity very close to my heart. I have suffered from eczema my whole life, and whilst I was lucky that it largely cleared as I grew up, I suffered a severe flare-up in my second year of University. It started with my usual flare-up symptoms, itchy and red skin, but I quickly had a gut feeling that this would be worse than what I had experienced before, worse than what I could manage with my usual moisturisers and routine. It was a relatively fast decline for my skin, it quickly got increasingly itchier and more visible, something which was really difficult to deal with. Over the next few months, my skin continued to worsen. Despite initially having been prescribed steroid creams, these didn't help my skin improve in the way I hoped, and my skin very quickly got worse.
After five months of severe eczema, I was lucky to see a specialist who prescribed me a short course of oral steroids, which cleared up the worst of my flare-up. Since then, I have been able to manage my skin with moisturising creams, for which I am so thankful. I find that now I appreciate the little things, like not having to take moisturisers with me everywhere I go, and not being self-conscious about my skin flaking off onto darker clothing and garments.
In May 2025, I was allergy-tested, revealing the plot twist of all plot twists - I'm actually allergic to an ingredient that is found in skincare marketed for sensitive skin! This has been so liberating for me, now I can check the ingredient list of any skincare or shower product and know that it is safe for me to use, I'm no longer guessing or sticking to a narrow range of "safe" products. Sun cream had always been a tricky one for me as I used to flare up a lot with certain products, but never knew why. After a very long trip to Boots and reading the ingredients list of what felt like every sun cream on offer, I finally found one that I can safely use, and enjoy time in the sun without worrying about my skin.
I started running in June 2025, initially setting out to find a new hobby to fill the void left in my schedule after finishing University; never did I imagine that I would enjoy it as much as I do! Whilst I love dancing, I never really enjoyed PE at school, so this race is a huge achievement for me, something which I would never have seen myself doing. I completed the NHS Couch to 5K Programme in August 2025, and was immediately hungry for more, so signed up to the Bristol 10K as my next challenge! And what better way to mark my first race than by fundraising for a charity so close to my heart?!
I understand that suffering with a skin condition is unique and can be difficult to understand or empathise with if it is not something you have directly experienced. My race is for everyone who has suffered with eczema, those who have supported/are supporting loved ones who are suffering, and all at Eczema UK who are working to support everyone affected. Eczema doesn't define you, and I know how hard this can be to see at times when you look in the mirror and just see your skin, not the person you are within.
Thank you for reading my story and for your support.
