Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

In February 2010 I lost my wife Jane to Cardiomyopathy. Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle.  It affects people of all ages and is mostly inherited. It is the number one medical cause of sudden death in the under 35s. As many as one in 500 people is affected but many do not know. It is not curable but can usually be treated successfully, with most of those affected going on to lead a long and full life.  Others, like Jane, are not so fortunate.

The Cardiomyopathy Association is the only UK charity dedicated to providing support and information to families affected by cardiomyopathy. It receives no Government funding, and is instead supported by supporter donations, gifts in wills and fundraising.  The CMA provides information and support to affected families. They raise awareness of the condition among the public and the medical and nursing professions. They campaign for more heart checks and gene tests for affected families to find those at risk and save lives.  They have a team of cardiomyopathy support nurses, they run information days around the country, they operate support groups for affected families, and they also have a network of affected volunteers who provide support to others.  I have created a fund in Jane’s name with the CMA, with the long term aim of supporting a specialist cardiomyopathy nurse.

I'm raising funds for the CMA by competing in the 2014 Tenzing-Hillary Everest Marathon.  This unique race is conducted annually to commemorate the first successful ascent of Everest by Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Sir Edmund Hillary on 29th May, 1953. The marathon starts at the Everest Base Camp (5364m/17,598ft) and finishes at the sherpa town of Namche Bazaar (3446m/11306ft). The measured distance of the course is 42.195 km (26.2 miles) over rough mountain trails. 

Please support my efforts to raise a substantial sum for the CMA.  They do great work that directly benefits individuals who live with this devastating condition.

You can donate on this website, or you can test EVMA99 to 70070 in the UK, providing the sponsorship amount in the body of the text also.  For example, to sponsor £20 then you would text EVMA £20 to 70070 - it's as simple as that!

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now – I really appreciate your support.