Laura walks a mile a day for Narcolepsy UK

I'm walking a mile a day from 30th May to 30th July 2021 to raise money for Narcolepsy UK, a charity that provides support for individuals, families and carers who either have or know someone with Narcolepsy. Approximately 30,000 people in the UK have this condition, with the majority never having received a diagnosis.
I was diagnosed with Narcolepsy and Cataplexy in 2012. Looking back it's clear that I've had narcolepsy for years before that but unfortunately it's common for Narcolepsy to be misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all. I just put my tiredness down to working too much and partying too hard.
Then all of a sudden my knees would buckle when I laughed and I struggled to stand. I now know that I was having a Cataplexy attack. Cataplexy is the term given to sudden muscular weakness triggered by strong emotions such as laughter, anger and surprise. The loss of muscle tone that occurs may range from a just-perceptible weakening of the facial muscles through weakness at the knees, to total collapse on the floor.
I'm thankful that my symptoms are well controlled with medication and I've learnt how to plan my days around taking power naps.
Although Narcolepsy isn't classed as a rare condition I've yet to meet anyone with it. More research and awareness is desperately needed. Narcolepsy UK provide support to people with narcolepsy, their families, carers and others interested in improving their quality of life.