Thanks for taking time out of your busy day to visit my "Just Giving" page.

 

My aim is to raise as much as possible for Coeliac UK & raise awareness here in the Isle of Man. So in case you don`t know, Coeliac Disease is a serious illness where the body`s immune system reacts to gluten found in foods, making the body attack itself.

 

It affects 1 in 100 people however there is no cure and the only treatment is a strict gluten-free diet for life - this is not an allergy you cannot grow out of it.

 

We have found eating out on the Island very hard with only 1 or 2 places actively advertising a gluten free alternative and should someone with Coeliac Disease keep eating anything with gluten in it they can develop Osteoporosis, Bowel Cancer, suffer infertility problems and many more serious side affects.

 

The way I intend to raise both awareness and money for Coeliac UK is by running the London Virgin 2010 Marathon, a gruelling 26.2 mile race, but it is not as gruelling as being diagnosed with Coeliac Disease.

 

My son Aaron, who is now six, was diagnosed in Alder Hay Hospital in Liverpool nearly three years ago. We were very lucky with our GP. He believed us when we said our son was ill, but when blood test after blood test kept coming back clear we were advised to prepare for the worst as they had ruled out all the obvious "nasty" causes for him to be so unwell and we were heading into the unknown.  Aaron was actually tested twice for Coeliac Disease, the blood tests were about eight weeks apart, the first was negative however our GP was convinced that he could be suffering from the disease and sent him for another blood test and this time it was positive.

 

To learn more about this disease and how you can help please visit the Coeliac UK web site. You can also help both Aaron and Coeliac UK by sponsoring me to run the 2010 London Marathon.

 

Every penny helps, so please dig deep.........Aaron, myself & Coeliac UK greatly appreciate any help you can give.

 

Thanks Again

 

Mal