Thirty two-year-old Meg Lewis has a rare lung condition that has made walking ‘bloody hard’. But sheer determination and continual support from the #walk1000miles community means she can once again enjoy the pastime she adores more than any other…
‘I was becoming increasingly breathless – struggling to walk up sets of stairs – when I was told I had extensive inflammation and fibrosis to both of my lungs. I had a biopsy. And in January 2022 I was finally diagnosed with a very rare condition called Hypersensitive Pneumonitis, and acute lung damage caused by it. Without attempting intervention, I would shortly be finding myself on the lung transplant list.
At the start of 2022 I was in pure survival mode – waking up daily with my first thought being, "I've just got to get through today and then I can go back to bed or rest again". I was constantly breathless, couldn't do my job properly and I was losing a grip on everything I really loved.
But I’ve done #walk1000miles since 2017 and since the diagnosis I've been trying to walk as much as possible. It’s been the underpinning of my entire life. Whether I can manage to the end of my road, or up Snowdon, everything is walking and it all counts. The photos of me from January and now are drastically different. I have life back in my eyes again. I've got my life back and mentally I’m a lot stronger and more balanced.
Being a part of the wonderful #walk1000miles community and magazine is a huge support. What a special thing we have! It keeps me grounded and focused. No matter what time of day it is, there’s always someone there. It's been so nice speaking with people who are going through similar experiences, and I think the community has just made all of us feel a little less alone. It's a safe space.
Walking is a great way to maintain my lung function, and my goal is to just keep going, and to always walk. If you've got a health condition, don't let it define you. Explore what 'walking' may look like for you. It can be anywhere, any distance, any pace. Just enjoy it. Thanks to #walk1000miles I have a goal to make my own, and several thousand people to cheer me on.’
