The little lady to the left is my daughter Scarlett, a beautiful ray of sunshine, who unfortunately suffers from Cystic Fibrosis (CF). This is the UK's most common genetic disease but currently there is no cure, with the average life expectancy of a CF sufferer being only 31 years. 

Scarlett was diagnosed at 3 months old & since then, has had to endure a daily regime of medications, chest physio & nebiliser sessions. The treatment's time consuming & sometimes upsetting, but it's essential in the battle to keep Scarlett as healthy as possible for as long as we can. Sadly, there is only so much that we can do & it's inevitable that without advances in treatment, Scarlett will eventually succumb to this devastating disease.

The Cystic Fibrosis Trust is the only UK charity funding research into better treatment of CF & there is real hope that with the time & money, the elusive, much hoped for cure may be found.

Myself & my good friend Julie Wood will be taking part in the Great South Run on 26th October & would really appreciate it if you'd sponsor us. This will be a huge challenge for both of us - we both had children in the spring of this year, so were not at our fittest when we decided to do this & training time has been very limited. I personally struggle to breathe after running for 30 minutes, so have no idea how I'll manage the 10 miles, which we think will take us over 2 hours. What spurs me on though, is the awful thought that without new treatment, Scarlett may struggle to breathe after walking across a room by the time she's in her mid twenties.

Please consider sponsoring us & even if you can't, perhaps pass the link on to someone you think may be willing to help. Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor us: Cystic Fibrosis Trust 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.

Thank you very much,

Michelle Mullarkey