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An inspirational story about friendship and support

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Published on Friday, 25 September 2015 10:18

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Gillian Smith and Linda Dunn are good friends. Gillian suffers from fibromyalgia and Linda will run the Loch Ness Marathon for FMA UK, while Gillian supports Linda with her fundraising efforts. Gillian tells us about their inspirational story of friendship and support: 

 ‘’I started working with Linda nearly 6 years ago now. I am a pharmacist, and Linda, a dispenser. I hadn't long been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. I was really struggling, having just qualified as a pharmacist, working full time with huge responsibility, and also not long having moved out of home to live on my own. I was covering a maternity leave in the branch Linda worked in, and she was a huge, invaluable support to me on a daily basis. She encouraged me to take breaks, even making me my lunch and bringing it to me as I tried to 'push through' and continue working!! She reminded me to take my medication regularly, have early nights, try to relax and slow down etc....but most importantly, she listened and was a shoulder to cry on!! 

All of this made us really good friends and we have remained close ever since!

At that same time, Linda was also having a difficult time, suffering from really, really bad back pain. She was off work for a long period of time, on all sorts of medication and was completely floored with it. I think this is why we clicked and got on so well, since we could understand the others situation and really empathise with each other. However, she is the most determined woman ever!! So as soon as she could, she started walking to work. On noticing this was helping with her pain, and mood, she joined the gym at Abbey Mill. This led on to insane boot camp class, then onto her joining the running group, Run Renfrewshire. She has gone from strength to strength, quite literally!!! And probably beyond even her own wildest dreams, recently completed her first marathon!! 

Linda was inspired by a lady attending the gym and building herself up to a 5K. For this reason, and she says also from seeing my daily struggles, that she decided to do the Loch Ness Marathon in aid of Fibromyalgia Action UK, not only just to raise funds for the charity, but to raise awareness of chronic pain and fibromyalgia as a condition.

Linda is a breath of fresh air! She would do anything for anyone, and no matter what, she always has a smile on her face! For her to overcome her pain, and go on to achieve such amazing things, really inspires me. She is definitely one of my role models, and I love her to bits!’’.

To donate to Gillian’s and Linda’s JustGiving Page please visit:

https://www.justgiving.com/Gillian-Smith33/