A Loughborough woman plunged herself into a freezing ice bath in her garden every day for 31 days last month, to raise funds for The Migraine Trust.
Liz Clark took on the challenge for the cause, which helps people with migraine, raising £600 for her efforts.
She knows firsthand the impact that the condition has on people’s lives, after living with vestibular migraine for over 15 years.
Vestibular migraine attacks can be extremely debilitating, commonly involving dizziness, vertigo and balance problems.
Explaining why she decided to raise funds for the Migraine Trust, Ms Clark said: “A lot more is known about it now than when I was first diagnosed. However, there is still a lot of research needed and treatments need to be more widely available for people, especially for those with vestibular migraine which is commonly misunderstood.
“I find my migraine attacks particularly challenging as I work as a dancer and choreographer, specialising in dance for children under 4.
“This year I set myself the challenge of raising funds for the Migraine Trust through doing an ice tub challenge for the 31 days of March. Using an ice recovery pod which is installed in my garden, I have been out in my tub come rain, snow or sunshine,” she went on to reveal. “The temperature of the water has ranged from 2-10 degrees . Some of my family have also joined in, with my 12-year-old daughter getting in once I’d met my £200 fundraising target!”
Migraine is the most common and disabling neurological disorder in the UK, which affects 1 in 7 people. According to NHS England, approximately 10 million people in the UK live with the condition, and it is estimated that the UK population loses 25 million days from work or school each year because of it.
“We are in awe and so grateful to Liz for taking on this challenge to help people affected by migraine. She is an inspiration and as she herself knows, migraine is debilitating and painful and affects many aspects of a person’s life,” said Rob Music, chief executive of The Migraine Trust.
“Not only is Liz raising funds that will help support our vital work and those affected by migraine, she’s also raising awareness of this often misunderstood brain disease.”
If you would like to help people affected by migraine you can support Liz’s fundraising for The Migraine Trust through her fundraising page at: https://www.justgiving.com/page/liz-clark-icetub-challenge
