My first triathlon - so this is a real challenge as I have never really been into swimming and the nearest I have got to cycling for the past 25 years is a spin class…..   My motivation beyond keeping myself on my toes post 40 is my gorgeous little neighbour Sienna. 

I am raising money for the wonderful charity Rosy as I see first hand what they do for Sienna and her family…  Very often my life is put into perspective thanks to Sienna - I feel very lucky to be part of her delicate life.  

Sienna's Story:

Sienna Lyon is nearly 3 years old. She is the third child of my neighbours Andy and Kay. She was born with an extremely rare genetic condition, which makes her totally dependent on her family 24/7.

Her condition is a form of catastrophic epilepsy that causes frequent and severe seizures. Her development has not passed that of a three month old so she cannot sit up unaided and will never walk or talk.

Caring for Sienna cannot be carried out by anyone who is not trained to deal with medical emergencies. So to have some respite an Oxfordshire charity called Rosy (Respite for Oxfordshires Sick Youngsters) is instrumental.

This charity is an organization that raises awareness of the need for respite nursing and funds to boost the extremely limited resources of Oxfordshires Children’s Nursing team. The team offers respite nursing to terminally, acutely and chronically ill children and babies in their home.

The charity funds 10 nurses for 72 local families. They offer 3 hours a week to give carers time to relax away from the stress of caring for a sick child. They would love to offer more help to these families. They also provide funding for counseling and social occasions for parents to get together

Please dig as deep as you can and help support me in supporting beautiful children like Sienna - Thank you