To all those who have taken a step back or have an uncontrollable urge to laugh, yes, it is true… I am running the NYC marathon in November. Here is why:

For nearly two years now I have been going to visit a young man of 20 who has Familial Dysautonomia, it was the first time I had heard about the genetic disease. FD affects male and female Jewish babies, primarily causing dysfunction of the autonomic and sensory nervous systems. This means he is not capable of normal swallowing and digestion but is fed by a tube directly into his stomach and has poor regulation of blood pressure and body temperature. Furthermore he has Scoliosis (early spinal curvature), and had arthritic and infected hips that have consequently been operated on and replaced. What this has meant is that he has not been able to walk for the last three years and it will take a dedicated amount of care and attention from professional physiotherapists to give him the opportunity to learn to walk again. He also has learning difficulties and requires a lot of attention and therapy with his speech, he will often rely on his mother or close members of his family to 'translate' what he is saying to others.

I have chosen to raise money through .  exists to enhance quality of life for Jewish children with Cancer and other life threatening illnesses. It is through 's big brother/sister programme, which encourages volunteers to commit to regular visits and relationship building, that I first came in to contact with this young man. This organisation has been instrumental in truly enhancing his life and the lives of others and I would urge you to find out how you can help contribute to this most valuable organisation whether as a volunteer or as a donor. To find out more please visit www.campsimcha.org.uk

Daily life is a struggle but his quality of life can be improved dramatically if he is given the therapeutic treatment available to help him to rebuild his muscles and learn to walk. He is bright and sensitive and equally deserves the opportunity to improve his speech giving him the confidence to communicate with others.

I am aiming to raise £7,000 and am willing to run 26 miles to prove to you just how worthwhile I think this cause is. £5,000 will pay for the physiotherapy and speech therapy needed for an entire year.  The entire amount will be distributed through the supervision of a registered charity in the . The remaining £2,000 will be donated directly to to contribute to a dedicated arts & crafts group for young people with medical problems. 

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 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.

Yours sincerely

Joel