TO run a marathon is always a challenge, but for Val Hobbs it is even more enduring. Val, who lives in Sageston, suffers from the rare and excruciatingly painful neurological condition, cluster headache. Last year, for the first time at the age of 54, Val attempted the London 10K to raise funds for OUCH (UK), the charity for cluster headache sufferers. As she is a chronic sufferer and never knows when an attack will strike, she carried her injections with her and a portable oxygen cylinder in a back pack. There were 16 other runners for the charity, one of whom succumbed to two attacks during the race, but went on to finish it. Val, a trustee of OUCH (UK), is running again this year, with her back pack and asks for your support to help OUCH raise awareness of this little-known debilitating condition and to run their much- needed helpline. The pain experienced by sufferers is described by neurologists as the worst pain known to man and all female sufferers state it is worse than childbirth. Attacks can occur one to six times or more a day at any time, typically starting within a couple of hours of falling sleep. There is no cure. The disease takes two forms - episodic, where the attacks occur over weeks or months and then stop for weeks, months or years, but always return; and chronic, where the attacks occur on a daily basis, with only occasional pain- free days. Val is a chronic sufferer. Painkilling injections and high flow oxygen are used to control the pain. If you would like to sponsor Val, please send your sponsorship to: Mrs. Val Hobbs, 22 Bartletts Well Road, Sageston, or go to http:// http://www.smartgive.com/funds/ouchuk/">www.smartgive.com/funds/ouchuk/ Val can also be contacted by telephone on 01646 651957.