Hi, I'm Matthew Johnson and this year I will be taking part in The Great North Run on 20th September 2009 (it'll be on the telly so watch out for me - I look like that fella on the left and will be wearing a rather fetching flourescent yellow running vest with CF Trust on it!).

I'll be running on behalf of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, a charity very close to my heart (see photos of my late wife Karen from the "photos" link on the left who died 5 years ago this August).

- Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is the UK's most common life-threatening inherited disease.
- CF affects over 8,000 people in the UK.
- Each week, five babies are born with CF.
- Each week, three young lives are lost to CF.
-  Average life expectancy is around 31 years, although improvements in treatments mean a baby born today could expect to live for longer.

For more information about Cystic Fibrosis and the fantastic work of the CF Trust please visit the CF Trust Website.

Every penny helps, but minimum sponsorship is 2 quid (well spotted Russ). So please sponsor me - just click on that big button above that says "Donate now". It's so easy even my mom can do it!

Donating through Justgiving (this website) is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me - Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

Thanks a lot to everyone who has sponsored me so far, it really means a lot to me.

Matthew Johnson