Story
<p><strong><span style="color: #ff6600;">SENSE - Please Don't turn a deaf ear and a blind eye to us...</span></strong></p>
<p>Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page and sponsoring me for running the London Marathon 2011 in aid of SENSE.</p>
<p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">Being partially hearing presented me with many challenges in my early life, as I learned to cope with life with hearing aids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the age of 16, a further challenge was presented to me.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">At 16 I was diagnosed with Usher Syndrome, a genetic condition affecting 3-6% of people in the UK born partially hearing or deaf.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Usher syndrome combines hearing loss with an eye condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Retinitis Pigmentosa causes the retina in my eye to deteriorate causing night blindness, colour blindness and tunnel vision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This will result in the eventual loss of most of my sight. This came as a real shock to my family, girlfriend (who is now my wife!) and I, and knowing that there is no treatment or cure, this led to confusion and fear - and still does. </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fortunately, we came across SENSE who are there for the deafblind community. They provided huge amount of support and resource to my family and I which reassured me that I was not alone for which I am grateful.</span>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">We are not sure how quickly I will lose my sight, but I am very lucky to be able to see as well as I can at the moment, so am making the most of this opportunity to run the London Marathon and raise awareness of SENSE.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Their services include on-going support for deafblind people and families. This support ranges from day services where deafblind people have the opportunity to learn new skills to Sense-run houses in the community where people are supported to live as independently as possible.</p>
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<p><strong>Just <span style="color: #ff6600;">£5.00 </span>coud buy a set of musical bells to help stimulate even the tiniest amount of a deafblind childs hearing in music therapy.</strong></p>
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<div class="menuLeftBottom"><strong><span style="color: #ff9900;">£25.00 </span>could buy an interactive light tube to help stimulate a deafblind childs remaining sight</strong></div>
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<div class="menuLeftBottom"><strong><span style="color: #ff6600;">£250.00</span> could kit out a home with sensory "trails" enabling the deafblind residents to idenfity specific rooms, stairs etc - enabling them to live in a safe, secure environment.</strong></div>
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<div class="menuLeftBottom"><strong>Your kind donation really DOES make a difference!</strong></div>
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<p>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.</p>
<p>So please dig deep and donate now.</p>