26th April 2009 - I did it - 4 hours 40 mins - really chuffed.  Thank you so much to everyone for the sponsorship and your motivational messages.  Special thanks to Anj, without her, I would never ever have attempted such a feat!

22nd April 2009 - Less than 4 days to go now, yikes!  Updated photo will be uploaded on Monday - Me and My Medal - positive thinking!

Thank you so much to everyone who has sponsored me online and also the following people for their offline donations:

John McCall, Maureen Riddell, Jack Gordon, Mark Porcelli, Linda McDarby, Scott Sneddon, Sasha Gawish, Angela & Romy Bruno, David & Marie Mitchell, Jeannine Callaghan, Catrina Porcelli, Gina Eusebi, Staff at Mackenzie Stewart (not sure of all your names - Michael, Dot...), Thomas Ionta, Rona (Mimi's tennis captain!), Elio Faccenda, Alan & Heather Montgomery, Broomhill Laundry & Drycleaning

March 2009

Thanks for visiting my fundraising page.

I am about to complete my first ever marathon (most probably my last ever too!) and have decided to do it for Bobath. I am trying to raise as much money as possible for Bobath who provide intensive and effective therapy to children with cerebral palsy.  This is a charity very close to my heart, as when our son Michael was only 18 months old, he was diagnosed with very mild cerebal palsy.  Fortunately, he does not require any treatment and leads a normal life.  Our office is based in the same building as Bobath and on a daily basis we see the number of children their charity supports.

I have now been training for many months in severe scottish weather conditions and I am looking forward to running my marathon in much warmer conditions!  Please help motivate me through my last few weeks of training and the marathon itself by helping me to raise money for this very worthwhile charity.

If you feel able to support my efforts in the marathon and are able to donate, any amount would be greatly appreciated.

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Bobath Scotland gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

So please sponsor me now!

What is the Bobath Centre?

The holistic Bobath approach towards therapy was developed by Dr Karel Bobath and Mrs Berta Bobath in the 1950s and explores ways of encouraging more natural movement patterns that can be integrated into everyday life. This approach recognises that each child is an individual and that therapy requires to be tailored for each child. It is not a rigid regime of exercises. The centre offers a specialist knowledge base to analyse the child’s skills and suggest ways of enhancing their abilities.

The Bobath Centre is a charity and no charges are passed on to the families - more than 600 children from all over Scotland have now attended for therapy. Currently based within temporary premises in Glasgow, Bobath Scotland is currently searching for a site for a permanent, bespoke therapy centre that will allow them to reach out to even more children.

Everyone involved in the care and development of each child is invited to therapy sessions - including parents and siblings, local therapists, teachers and nursery assistants - ensuring the aims for each child are co-ordinated and realistic to their own environments.

www.bobathscotland.org.uk

What is cerebral palsy?

It is a permanent, incurable disorder affecting posture and movement. Any pregnant woman could have a child with cerebral palsy, as there’s no test to identify an ‘at risk’ group. One in every 500 children has cerebral palsy which results from brain damage occurring during birth or in the first two years of life.

Cerebral palsy takes many forms in varying degrees of severity, but invariably results in restricted movement due to muscles being too stiff or too floppy. This affects the development of skills such as using hands for play, communicating and walking. The Bobath concept involves a trans-disciplinary approach involving occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech and language therapy to give each child the skills to explore the world, communicate their needs and participate as much as possible, not just in therapy sessions, but in all aspects of their lives.