Thank you for visiting our fundraising page.

We are running the 2008 London Marathon for the Down's Syndrome Assocation.  This year will seem strange as it is the first time that we have run without Damian (some excuse about being in Australia for a birthday party in April).  However, we all know how much Damian's daughter Madeline benefits from the great work of the DSA - so we're just as determined to raise a bumper amount again.        

People with Down's syndrome have learning difficulties, but that just means they need extra help like speech therapy, physiotherapy and special education programmes. It is amazing just how far extra help can take them. More and more kids with Down's syndrome are, with help, leaving mainstream education with GCSEs. More and more young adults with Down's syndrome are finding jobs and leading independent lives. And living longer. In the bad old days, when having Down's syndrome meant you were abandoned in an institution, average life expectancy was 17. Now it's closer to 70. That's the difference support makes.

But much more needs to be done. Attitudes need to be shifted further. More help and support is needed. More needs to be learned about how to minimise the effects of the condition.

That's why we are running the marathon and why we are asking for your support.  Last year thanks to your amazing generosity, we raised over  £17,000 (including gift aid) which was enough to fund a study in to the most effective forms of exercise for people with Down's syndrome by a medical researcher.  The findings from this study will hopefully see more people with Down's syndrome like Simon Beresford (see http://www.justgiving.com/simonberesford ) running the marathon with us in years to come. 

If you sponsor us, please also predict the average finishing time of the Flyers to win a mystery prize!

If you are a UK taxpayer, please tick the gift aid box, and an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.  Please remember that a donation of £100 on this web page will only cost you £77 provided you complete the gift aid box on your tax return, please let Steve or Damian know if you need more information or help completing your tax return.