Marathon for Love for Steven's-Johnson Syndrome

Lagos Marathoner,  Fadesola Adedayo at Ilesha, Osun State. He began the race on May 13, 2016 in Abuja.

  
(Nigeria) A 25-year-old Nigerian, Mr Fadesola Adedayo, currently running a marathon race from Abuja to Lagos, to create awareness on a rare skin disease called Steven's-Johnson Syndrome, SJS, has warned Nigerians against self medication.

Adedayo who spoke in Ilesha, Osun, on day 13 of his mission, said he was running the "Marathon for Love" in remembrance of his late brother, Adeyosola, who died of the syndrome in 2012.

"This is a marathon of love for my brother, mankind, my country Nigeria and the world at large," he said.

He advised Nigerians to always consult with pharmacists or medical doctors before taking any drug because of its side effects.

Adedayo, a Civil Engineer, trained in Canada, started the run on May 13 in Abuja.

He said he was also raising $1 million research fund on the syndrome.

"I believe I can create the needed awareness on SJS through the marathon for a period of 17 days and long distance of the race. I have been stopping in villages on my way to warn people against self medication, which can result in SJS, if not properly taken.

"I am doing this in remembrance of my late brother, a trained medical doctor from the University of Birmingham.  He died while at the head of a medical team, offering free medical services to HIV victims and the people in Ijora Badia in Lagos.

"And it is as a result of this that I want to create awareness into the consciousness of Nigerians and indeed the whole world about SJS"

Adedayo, who is scheduled to get to Lagos on May 29, said he does not want Nigerians to lose  their lives  to the deadly syndrome any longer.

He, however,  urged government to immortalize his late brother who died as result of humanitarian service to the nation.

Speaking on the challenges of the marathon, the young civil engineer said the hot weather, couple with the bad road was a serious challenge.

The marathoner, who was accompanied by officials of FRSC, Nigeria Police, medical doctors and an ambulance said his feet were already swollen up in injury.

He advised Nigerians, youths in particular to believe in themselves that they could make things possible and not any other people or race doing it for them.

"Nobody will come into Nigeria to do it for us but we doing it ourselves," Adedayo said.

He called on Nigerians to support the fund raising aimed at conducting research and creating awareness on SJS.