Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I aim to complete my first marathon with the help of Women's Running magazine's 'Project 26.2' in association with Running with Us, Physio & Therapy, Saucony, Up & Running, High5 Nutrition & Garmin. I don't have a charity entry, but a few people have already heard about the marathon and offered to sponsor me, so I've chosen a charity which has personal significance. To see how my training is going please visit my blog and follow me on Twitter via the Women's Running website: http://www.womensrunninguk.co.uk/helenreardon.obyx

My older brother Chris is autistic so I understand the cruel and frustrating nature of the autistic spectrum. There is no cure for autism or Asperger's syndrome and nobody really knows what causes either, but promoting awareness and offering support to those affected can be unbelievably valuable. Autism and aspergers are tricky to spot as individuals often exhibit varying severity and unique traits and quirks. Autistic childrens' behaviours are often mistaken for naughtiness by onlookers and this can cause additional stress for family members and carers - throughout my childhood I became used to people staring whenever my brother had a tantrum in public. As far as I can remember nobody ever asked my Mum if she was OK or offered any help, I thoroughly believe that raising awareness can prevent other families from having to go through day to day situations like this feeling so alone and helpless. Understanding and a kind word really can shine a glimmer of hope on a 'bad day'.

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.

So please dig deep and donate now.