Hello chaps,
"Oh goody!" I can hear you thinking it now. "Another chance to hand over cash in return for the pleasure of knowing how much Dan will be hurting for the next several months. That's worth a tenner of my money."
It does seem sometimes as if almost every person I know is pregnant or has just had a baby. And you never know, we might get there ourselves one of these... erm.... years. So this time around I wanted to try to help a charity that could in a small way directly affect my peeps.
This is actually quite heartbreaking to relate, but here goes:
One in five pregnancies ends in miscarriage
Cause often unknown. This rate is unchanged since the 1930s.
One in 182 babies is stillbornThere is still no clear medical reason given for over half of all stillbirths occuring in the UK.
140 babies are born too small or too soon in the UK each dayOne in ten of these babies will die or develop serious permanent disabilities.
Two out of three babies who die do so because they are born too smallSo as Marvin Gaye sang on his "What's Going On" album (clears throat, gargles, la la la LA la la laaa) "SaAAAaaave the babies". Quite.
Tommy's mission is to do something about it. Since their foundation in 1992, they have funded more than 60 research projects and established centres for fetal health research in London and Manchester. They also provide medical professionals, parents and parents-to-be with information about pregnancy health issues. They aim to ensure that information on health in pregnancy and reducing the risk of problems is available to all parents-to-be in the UK.
Donating through this site is secure and also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Tommy's, the baby charity, will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.
Oh, and another reason why you should sponsor me: I've just browsed through their website and note that Gordon Ramsay, that famously potty-mouthed TV chef, is one of their celebrity supporters.
I would like to point out right now that I BEAT HIM in the 2006 London Marathon. While I strode, gazelle-like, down the Mall to the Finish Line, he staggered across like a crackhead who's gone cold-turkey for Lent. So I'm obviously much more skill and more betterer. Less sweary, as well.
So anything you can give will make me love you just that little bit more. Not as much as I love Mai or Halle Berry, obviously, but I'll be very fond of you indeed.
Any hey, that's not all. I'm even doing a business blog which begs for money at the end of every post and I'll give you the URL. It's www.daniboy.com/blog/. Go and have a look. G'wan.
Dan
