Many thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page and special thanks if you have supported my charity fund-raising in the past.  I try and only do one fund-raising effort each year and so have combined this year's madness into just one campaign...

In 2012 I am taking on two challenges that are way beyond anything that I've ever attempted before and so I wanted to raise money for a particularly special charity and one very close to my heart.  Sheffield Children's Hospital have helped (and continue to help) my daughter and hundreds of other children enjoy better quality lives.

Katy was born with a lower leg deformity and, without the care and expertise of the dedicated staff at the Hospital, would be unable to walk today with one leg some 4-6 inches longer than the other.  She continues to have treatment at the hosptial and will soon once again have a metal frame attached to her right leg so that her tibia and fibula can be broken and lengthened (we turn some screws a very small amount every day over a period of months).  You can get some idea from the pictures attached of her 'cage' (as she calls it) from her first limb lengthening operation.

The medical technology and care is truly amazing and she is able to live a pretty normal life, albeit without ballet, and only limited ability to burn off energy running and walking long distances. 

I am doing some of that for her though ... and on 1st June start ten days of swimming, biking and running that, if I complete the deca ironman challenge, will see me swimming 38km (a bit more than a Channel swim); cycling 1800km (a fair bit more than Land's End to John o'Groats) and running 422 km (basically ten marathons).  The event itself is part of the Enduroman UK Festival of Ultra Triathlon and can be found here http://www.enduroman.com/uk/ .

Later in the Summer on August 31st I am also hoping to take on another new challenge, a 131 ultra marathon run around the coastal path of Anglesey (one of our family's favourite holiday destinations), in a 3 day event called the Ring O'Fire (http://www.ringofire.co.uk/). 

Any and all support that you are able to give to the Children's Hospital will I know be incredibly gratefully received and will help make a real difference to the lives of the many many children that the hospital is helping every day.

Thank you!