Val Hobbs suffers from a rare and debilitating neurological disease called cluster headache, which causes her attacks of excruciating pain on one side of the head up to six times a day and night, lasting anything from 15 minutes to three hours or more.

She has the chronic form of the disease which means she has virtually no pain-free days at all.

Neurologists say that cluster headache is the most painful condition known to man and it is nicknamed 'suicide headache'.

On July 12 this year, Val (pictured) will run in the London 10K, as she has for the previous two years, to raise funds for the charity OUCH (UK), the Organisation for the Understanding of Cluster Headache. OUCH supports sufferers of the disease and raises awareness of the condition.

OUCH is fielding a team of 24 runners in this year's race and hopes to break the £12,000 sponsorship target they have set themselves.

One of the treatments for the pain of the disease is high flow oxygen and because the attacks occur without warning and rapidly build to a high level, Val races carrying her portable oxygen backpack in case she gets an attack during the race.

In August 2008, Val had an occipital nerve stimulator implant which helps reduce the pain levels for her; she will be the first 'bionic' woman to run the 10K!

Raising awareness of the condition is of paramount importance and OUCH supplies information to sufferers, medical professionals and employers and runs a much-needed helpline, staffed by volunteers, all of whom are sufferers or supporters.

The proceeds of the 10K run will go towards provision of information and keeping the telephone helpline available 24/7.

Val is appealing for sponsors to visit http://www.justgiving.com/ouchuk">www.justgiving.com/ouchuk