Story
<p>Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.</p>
<p>And yes I know I'm crazy saying, saying never again after 2010's run and with the fact that my knee's won't take it anymore, but no pain no gain...</p>
<p>I'm running the 2012 London Marathon to raise money to support the Lily Foundation which is committed to finding a cure for Mitochondrial Disease and other Metabolic disorders.</p>
<p>My good friends David and Caroline were devastated to learn that our third child Charlie ( now 2 years old) was diagnosed with a Mitochondrial disease when he was only 4 months old, and that this disease is progressive, incurable and normally when diagnosed so young- Fatal, so I want to do all I can to help!!</p>
<p>Please take a few minutes to read about Charlies story which can be found at <a href="http://www.thelilyfoundation.org.uk/our-inspirations/charlie-camis/">http://www.thelilyfoundation.org.uk/our-inspirations/charlie-camis/</a></p>
<p>The Lily Foundation was set up in memory of Lily Anna Merritt, who died at just 8 months old from a Mitochondrial disorder. With little known about the disease and other metabolic disorders, Lily's family decided to set up the Lily Foundation Charity to help raise awareness and fund research into the condition.</p>
<p>The Lily Foundation have a three point mission; fund research, train doctors and support families with sick children. Their first challenge is to raise £400,000 to fund a gene testing programme that will use chip technology to speed up diagnosis and advance research into finding a cure.</p>
<p>Recent research has shown that 1 in 200 healthy newborns are carriers of Mitochondrial disease and are at risk of passing the disease to their offspring.</p>
<p>Mitochondria are the "powerhouse" within each human cell. They are responsible for converting the energy in food into energy that can be used by the body. Without Mitochondria, cells are unable to generate enough energy to sustain normal organ function and sometimes even life.</p>
<p>Mitochondrial dysfunction can also be a factor in diseases as diverse as cancer, diabetes, heart, liver and kidney disease and strokes as well as age related diseases such as Parkinsons and Alzheimers.</p>
<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 if you can or TEXT : LILY77 to 70070 if its easier ....</p>
<p>Warmest Regards - Stevie G</p>