EVERY year, Oxford’s Town & Gown fun run raises tens of thousands of pounds for research into trying to find treatments for muscular dystrophy. In a new column, Emily Bonner, 30, who was diagnosed with limb girdle muscular dystrophy in 2014, tells us what life is like with the condition

I'VE always had a keen interest in my family history and ancestry, particularly my maternal side as my Nan would tell me such colourful stories of her relations most of which are local to Oxfordshire or just over the border into neighbouring counties.

There's my great-great-grandfather who came first for the best grapes in a competition beating the Duke of Marlborough (I think that made the local paper as well), a distant cousin who brought down the last Zeppelin in the First World War and then there's Jack the Ripper.

It's all his fault, he's to blame. The story that my great great great grandfather was a copper in London during the time these murders occurred intrigued me and I wanted to find out more! So for the last 10 years I've been delving in and out of building my family tree. I'm hooked, thanks Jack.

It later transpired that our policeman was long retired before Jack came a ripping but meanwhile I discovered and made contact with a living relative, my fourth cousin Jo. Fourth cousin, I feel like a Dingle when I say that! I do have a lot of cousins though, first, second, third, first once removed yeah this family tree lark can get quite complex at times!

The aforementioned Peeler was our common ancestor. To this day we have yet to meet but we still keep in touch, connected by not only our ancestry but also an understanding and an empathy for life with a genetic condition, (her mum had Huntington's).

And this week Jo is raising money for Muscular Dystrophy UK, specifically limb girdle research, by running The Blaydon Race up north in Newcastle.

I think the runners get rewarded with local grub after completion but some turn down the tripe and pickled onions on offer, I can't see why that is can you? What a load of old...

Maybe they should do that with the Town & Gown, Oxford Blue anyone? Oxford sausage? I wouldn't say no to a Banbury cake...

Something else caught my eye this week, which would make a good fundraiser. A wheelchair accessible high ropes course! I'm not yet in a chair but when I am I'm doing this course for sure. A friend with MD is keen to try as well, we thought it would be good to help each other along providing a comedy act for free! Talk about the blind leading the blind.

I'm so impressed these sort of things exist though, I could just imagine me doing a Tarzan impression swinging in a wheelchair and beating me chest. I wouldn't fancy doing it if it's windy like it is at the moment though. I can barely move to my gate without fear of being blown over, I could do with a safety rope just for that.

It's June why is it cold and blowing a gale? My first outdoor swim of the year was an exhilarating one though even if it was 12C, raining and windy. I can battle the elements but I hope they settle for Jo's race. Go Jo!

If you'd like to sponsor me for as little as £1, please text JSOM81 followed by the amount to 70070.