A mother of two from Croydon was diagnosed with MS just two months ago.

It began when Natalie Martinelli tore a ligament in her foot. Soon after she started getting pins and needles in her foot but assumed the feeling meant her foot was healing. When the sensation also flared up in her hand and across her stomach, Natalie went straight to her GP.

“Initially, I thought the pins and needles were caused by poor circulation or a vitamin deficiency," she said.

"I remember MS coming up when I googled my symptoms, but I never thought it would be something so serious. It was quite a shock.

"I still have numbness in my leg and I do get tired quicker, but my diagnosis hasn’t changed me as a person. I’ve tried not to dwell on it. I just want to get on with my life and spend time with my family.”

So instead of letting the disease consume her life, she decided to fight back.

So Mrs Martinelli joined in for a 10km MS walk to raise nearly £1,000 for the MS Society.

“It was great fun," she said.

"The sun was shining and everyone was in good spirits.

"Seeing so many people walking through London in orange really made me feel part of a community that supports each other. The last couple of kilometres were hard going, but the cheerful organisers and seeing all the other people going kept us motivated.”