“I made it a point that I wasn’t going to let the tinnitus control me, but for me to control the tinnitus.”

Chris Ives is fundraising for Tinnitus UK by taking part in the North Lincolnshire half marathon on 1 March. 

We asked Chris some questions to find out what made him decide to generously fundraise for Tinnitus UK.

What made you decide to run a half marathon for Tinnitus UK?

Honestly, before I had tinnitus, I had never heard of Tinnitus UK. I had heard about tinnitus as a condition, but not the charity. After developing tinnitus in December 2024, I joined a Tinnitus UK online support group and once I was out of my crisis, it became clear the importance of spreading the message and trying to do my part to raise the profile of the charity for people who need it, but also for people who need to recognise the brilliant work they do.

What is your connection to tinnitus?

A difficult one! I developed sudden onset tinnitus and hyper-acusis from what I think was the result of an inner ear infection. I never did find out the cause. I’d had weird sounds before, but they had always subsided after a few minutes. But, those minutes turned to hours, to days, to weeks and at that point, it took me to some very dark places and I was spiralling. For a while, it felt as though my life was over and there was no way I’d find the ‘me’ again. Through the online support groups, it helped me to better understand my stressors and triggers, but more importantly, it gave me a network of people who also have the condition. I now give it an affectionate name and it’s started to become a bit of a self-diagnosis. If I’m perceiving it to be loud and annoying, I know I’m stressed, tired, dehydrated, or something else. It’s a journey, but so is the half-marathon!

Training for a half marathon is no small commitment. What has the journey been like so far?

I used to be an avid runner many years ago. I really enjoyed getting out and running, listening to music and just not thinking about ‘adulting’. Once the tinnitus came and stayed, I actively avoided running- even when I came out the other side of my crisis. I had developed a bit of a phobia of listening to music. I thought that years of running and having music blaring in my ear was partly to blame- it still might be. But after attending some of the online support groups, other tinnitus people kept saying how listening to music actually helped as a distraction technique, and having hobbies they enjoyed also worked. Slowly, and over time, I built the confidence back to wearing headphones but controlling the volume! I only starting resuming running again in July 2025 and I made it a point that I wasn’t going to let the tinnitus control me, but for me to control the tinnitus. I completed Tough Mudder in July 2025, so the half-marathon is next on the list!

Why do you think it’s important to support Tinnitus UK right now?

There were so many times in those first couple of meetings where I felt as though other people with tinnitus ‘got it’ and it was almost as though the leader of the group had gone into my mind and had replayed back my last few months. Turns out, many people who develop tinnitus go through the exact same motions, but it’s the feeling of isolation and loneliness that is hard to deal with. Of course, I had family and friends that I talked to, but their understanding was all abstract. You go to the GP and they refer you to ENT and possibly for an MRI and then you’re told ’The scans all look normal, so you have to deal with it,’ and that’s a real kick in the teeth, especially when you’re already feeling vulnerable and lousy.

That’s why it’s important to support Tinnitus UK now. People who have sponsored me didn’t understand what it was, let alone the toll it can take on someone. It’s important to spread awareness. At the same time, the work the charity does IS life-saving. I have no idea how many people who have had dark thoughts have used the charity and are now in a position where they’ve been able to adapt and continue to live full and meaningful lives. It’s important that funding support is there in order for those online support groups to run, as well as physical support groups further around the UK. Finally, we always told ’There’s no cure.’ That’s perhaps the hardest pill to swallow. 7.6 million people in the UK have tinnitus, whether it’s temporary or permanent. That’s a huge number. Yet, very little funding is used in scientific research to look at causes and into effective, safe and evidence-based treatments. There’s lots that goes towards management, but actual treatment is not enough. Supporting Tinnitus UK means that they can continue to advocate and support research that may mean that in 100 years, it may be as common as the common cold, but as treatable at the same time.

If someone is reading this and considering donating, what would you say to them?

Every little bit helps. I cannot emphasise enough just how much this charity has helped me and many others. So, thank you and wish me luck!

We would like to thank Chris for kindly choosing to fundraise for Tinnitus UK, if you want to donate to Chris to help him reach his donation goal and support Tinnitus UK, you can do so here.