Story
<p><strong>What i'm doing</strong></p>
<p>After running the Brighton Marathon last year for Ataxia UK in memory of my late Grandad who had Friedreich's ataxia, i've most definitely caught the running bug. Although i'd signed up to run the Chester Half Marathon in May, I couldn't escape the gnawing need to run another marathon. Childlife were lovely enough to grant me one of their charity places in the Chester Full Marathon which is why i'm writing this.</p>
<p><strong>Who it's for</strong></p>
<p>Childlife represents 4 children's charities; Ataxia UK, Acorns Children's Hospice, the National Children's Bureau (NCB) and the National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS).</p>
<p><strong>Why these charities</strong></p>
<p>Although I have personal experience of the effects of Ataxia on a person's life, i've decided to run for Childlife instead of just Ataxia UK this time because i've worked with a wide range of children and young people including some who have had degenerative conditions, are deaf and come from disadvantaged backgrounds. I'd like the money that I raise to help as many children and young people as possible.</p>
<p><strong>The begging part</strong></p>
<p>Please consider helping me to support these amazing charities by sponsoring me to run the Chester Half and Full Marathons. No amount is too small or too big and i'd be grateful for any support you can give. It might sound trite but it really helps motivate me to keep going when I hit that inevitable wall (last time it was around 21 miles at a section that went through a deserted power station and was aptly called 'The Road to Hell'!), and just want to lie down and cry. Running a marathon is easily the hardest and most rewarding thing that i've ever done but it doesn't come close to the hard situations that some children and young people find themselves in, nor is it anywhere near as rewarding as the work that these charities do.</p>
<p><strong>About the charities</strong></p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ataxia UK</span></p>
<p>The charity supports people with various types of ataxia. It's a progressive neurological condition that affects walking, speech, and coordination and can strike at any age. Over 10,000 in the UK have ataxia but there is currently no cure. It costs...</p>
<p>£15 to send out DVDs to 5 young people learning to cope with ataxia.</p>
<p>£80 to print 100 information leaflets, raising awareness of ataxia.</p>
<p>£150 runs their helpline for a day, providing advocacy and<br>welfare information.</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Acorns Children's Hospice</span></p>
<p>They care 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for children who have life limiting or life threatening illnesses and their families living in the West Midlands. It costs around...</p>
<p>£4 for medical disposables and medication for a child for a day</p>
<p>£18 for a complementary therapy session</p>
<p>£68 for a one-to-one support session for a young person or bereaved family</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">National Children's Bureau</span></p>
<p>They offer support to people working with children, their families and carers, and children and young people themselves. They run around sixty projects each year, looking at every aspect of life, from children in care or those suffering a bereavement, to children and young people living with HIV or those in prison. Their projects include</p>
<p>Play England</p>
<p>Council for Disabled Children</p>
<p>Childhood Bereavement Network</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">National Deaf Children's Society</span></p>
<p>The NDCS dedicated to creating a world without barriers for deaf<br>children and young people. They offer free information and support from initial diagnosis to adulthood, to families with a deaf child through their publications and web forums, the Freephone helpline, specialist advisers and family events. They also run various activities<br>and events where deaf children and young people can learn new<br>skills, gain confidence and meet other deaf children, often for the<br>first time. It costs...</p>
<p>£15 to give a familiy with a newly identified deaf baby 30 minutes of free, confidential support and information in over 100 languages from their freephone helpline.</p>
<p>£70 to provide a family with a home visit by an NDCS Family Officer who will help them to discuss all the issues concerning their deaf child's future.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ndcschallenges.org.uk/why_ndcs/index.html"> </a>£100 to provide 25 families with an information pack containing all the basic information that they will need to understand what help is available to their child.</p>
<p><strong>Info about JustGiving</strong></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.</p>