Going the extra mile to raise awareness of tinnitus

Tinnitus sufferer Christina Kennedy, 41, from Daventry in Northamptonshire, has challenged herself to walk 50 miles in a month in support of the British Tinnitus Association (BTA). The charity helped her manage her tinnitus, the debilitating condition that affects around 80,000 adults in Northamptonshire alone.

Christina got in touch with the BTA Tinnitus Support Team back in August 2019 after having an ear infection and experiencing tinnitus for the first time. She shared “I became severely distressed, anxious and constantly panicked. During what I call my crisis stage, I never thought I’d be able to live normally again. I remember my boyfriend taking me to the doctors in the car and I had a complete panic attack, we had to stop and I called the BTA helpline, I was so desperate. That phone call was the start of my healing process.”

“With some help and a lot of determination to not let tinnitus control or define my life, I am now in a much, much better place, however it breaks my heart when I speak to people new to tinnitus who are deeply suffering and receive little or no support from their GP.”

The British Tinnitus Association’s vision is “A world where no one suffers from tinnitus” which Christina fully supports. She is hoping that her fundraising challenge will get people taking about tinnitus and raise the vital funds needed to make sure people can access the support they need now, and fund future tinnitus research, to ultimately find a cure.

The British Tinnitus Association Fundraising Officer Jess Pollard commented “Christina has overcome so much in the last year and we’re so grateful that she is now able to use her own experience to support others and to keep raising awareness!”

Please support Christina by donating at justgiving.com/fundraising/christina-kennedy3, or visit tinnitus.org.uk/step-challenge to take part in your own step challenge.

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Press contact
Nic Wray, Communications Manager
nic@tinnitus.org.uk
0114 250 9933

Editors Notes

• The British Tinnitus Association (BTA) is an independent charity that supports over one million people living with tinnitus each year, and advises medical professionals around the world. It is the primary source of support and information for people with tinnitus in the UK. 
• Tinnitus is the sensation of hearing noises in your ear or head when there is no external cause. The noise can have virtually any quality including ringing, buzzing, hissing and whistling.
• Around 1 in 3 people will experience tinnitus at some point in their life. Over 7.1 million adults in the UK are living with persistent tinnitus, and for 10% of them, it can severely impact their quality of life, affecting sleep, mood, concentration, employment and relationships.
• There is not currently a cure for tinnitus, however, there are several strategies that can be helpful in learning to manage the condition.
• Tinnitus costs the NHS £750 million annually, with a cost to society of £2.7 billion per year.

www.tinnitus.org.uk
Twitter: @BritishTinnitus

Facebook and Instagram: @BritishTinnitusAssociation

LinkedIn: British Tinnitus Association

British Tinnitus Association, Ground Floor Unit 5 Acorn Business Park, Woodseats Close, Sheffield, United Kingdom S8 0TB. The British Tinnitus Association is a registered charity. Registered charity number 1011145