Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I am running my first ever marathon (26.2 miles!) in April 2010 in support of children with Juvenile Dermatomyositis (JDM). A friends daughter, Katherine was diagnosed with JDM in 2008 and I am running for her and other children like her who have been affected by the disease.

Juvenile Dermatomyositis is an auto-immune disease which affects the skin (derma-) and muscles (-myo) of the body. If not managed properly, the skin rash can become ulcerated (in some cases requiring surgery); and the muscles in the body are attacked which can include the internal muscles, affecting both heart and lung function and rarely this can be fatal. Joints become inflamed and calcium deposits can form under the skin. Exposure to sun light can cause the condition to flare.

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.

Thanks again, Lena :)