THE father of a young woman who died after receiving a heart transplant has revealed he is suffering from multiple sclerosis.
David Pudsey has vowed to battle the progressive form of the illness for as long as possible.
Mr Pudsey's daughter Hannah died, aged 24, in February last year, 11 years after an organ transplant saved her life.
Speaking about his own battle to raise awareness of MS, Mr Pudsey said: "I have MS and I am told it will get worse.
"You tend to go slowly downhill, but it could be months or it could be years.
"I am still working four days a week – it's getting harder and harder.
"But I am not going to let it stop me from doing any of the things I want to do.
"With Hannah, it was always a case of, 'whatever will be, will be'.
"She took everything in her stride and kept going.
"I'm the same that way."
The Mail followed Miss Pudsey's story closely, from childhood until her death caused by diabetes and heart complications at Hull Royal Infirmary.
She had been due to marry partner Kevin Preston but died five months before their wedding day.
Despite being diagnosed with the neurological condition affecting 100,000 people in the UK, Mr Pudsey, 54, of Nafferton, near Driffield, plans to join his son, Ben, 29, in running the London Marathon on April 21.
"My aim is to run it under six hours," said Mr Pudsey, a veteran of four marathons with a personal best time of 3 hours 58 minutes.
"I will be thinking of Hannah as I go round the course."
Together, father and son hope to raise hundreds of pounds for Martin House in West Yorkshire, the children's hospice that supported their family during their darkest hour.
Mr Pudsey has researched his own condition, which often leaves him exhausted and forgetful.
"There is no test, as such, for MS," he said. "It's more a case of ruling out other conditions, although scarring showed up on a brain scan.
"My long-term memory is good, but my short-term memory is bad.
"MS also affects your balance, which isn't ideal when you're a keen runner."
Mr Pudsey took up running after his daughter had her heart transplant.
"Running was never a hard job for me," he said. "But putting in 20 to 30 miles a week training for the marathon is hard."
Mr Pudsey, a self-employed coal merchant, says he has told himself to display the same grit as his daughter.
"I can remember thinking I was a hard parent," he said.
"Hannah was a good child, but if she ever complained about having one of her many blood tests, I would say to her, 'You know you have to have it done, so there's no point in complaining'.
"She used to hate taking tablets, so we got round it by hiding them in a spoon of jam, which she loved."
Mr Pudsey's wife, Ros, said the family will forever support Martin House, where many East Yorkshire children with life-limiting illnesses, along with their loved ones, are cared for.
She said: "Staff there have become friends, and our family will do all we can to support them.
"I was worried about David going running by himself, but he's looked after by the Driffield Striders running club now, who have been great."
Visit uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/ben.davidpudsey to sponsor the father and son.
