Thank you for visiting my fundraising page. I'm Simone and pictured with me is my 8 year old son Max.   Earlier this year, Max was diagnosed with ADHD, a condition which is sorely misunderstood but which I am passionately determined to raise awareness of and help breakdown the social prejudices which sadly, but naturally exist.  I want to do this of course for Max, but also for other children living with this amazingly debilitating condition, their families and you ........ Why me? you may ask - I don't know anyone with ADHD ..... well you, because ADHD is thought to cause a variety of social issues so this condition could indirectly affect you at some time or other.

 My close friend Sherpa Sharon, who is also doing the Inca Trial (deliberately misspelt!) with me, asked me when she was completing her website, whether I was going to write something witty ~ I immediately and instinctively said no - rather I want to open up mine and Max's life (which is hard in itself as I am a private person) to you, so that you can have an appreciation of what it is like having ADHD in your daily life.  Only through airing personal experiences will people start to  understand, have empathy, (as opposed to sympathy - we don't want that) and of course dig deep in your pockets to sponsor me!

 Firstly, just to alleviate any preconceived prejudices against ADHD some of you may have reading this, can I please nicely ask you to give me a little credit ......yes, I'm Simone who may always have a smile on her face and be very ready with a laugh and a joke.  Sometimes people may mistake this for flippancy or scattiness - not true,  I can understand why - but please do not confuse my fun-loving ways as unintelligence.

 Why do I say this? ...... Well because I need you to know that I have tried giving Max fish oils, I have tried dietary solutions - cutting out E numbers etc., I have tried putting Max to bed extra early, I have given him emotional support when his father and I split up 2 years ago, I strongly believe in positive parenting and finally I have enrolled Max in the Dore programme.  I need you to know all this so you can see I have done all I can, but none of this has made any difference, because you see, ADHD has nothing to do with diet, nothing to do with Omega 3, nothing to do with bad parenting or single parenting - rather it is a condition.

  Now we've got that clear, let me open up our life to you .............

 Max has always been a chatterbox, full of beans,  always running around - as we get older we hear ourselves saying about children, "if only I had half their energy" ........well with Max, let me tell you, you'd be alright with a tenth of his energy!

 When learning to talk, Max developed a pronounced stutter which resulted in him attending a speech therapist. The outcome, Max's mouth couldn't work as fast as his brain. The stutter has gone now but his brain is still working just as fast even while he sleeps because he is always talking and shouting out and generally on the move even in his dreams.

 His boundless energy however started to cause problems as the conditioning of class room situations becomes more pressured with age. Max's lack of self control, impulsiveness, inability to sit still or keep quiet and lack of social adeptness started to frustrate teachers and in turn Max. You see whilst a teacher can clearly see that a child with a leg in plaster is physically disabled and unable to walk properly, there are no signs that Max is physically unable to sit still or control himself. He is therefore viewed as a naughty child. Then we have the snowball effect - Max is continually told off for things he knows he cannot control, he feels frustrated and angry with himself, humiliated in front of his peers, they in turn make fun of him, he gets a bad name with other teachers, etc etc. And then from a bright and breezy student who wants to learn (he read Michael Crichton Jurassic park at the age of 7 and not the cartoon version!) he is rapidly turned into a self depricating, depressed and bewildered little boy who thinks the world is against him and for what - a lack of awareness and understanding that could be so easily avoided.

 Some of you reading this will have children of your own, those of you who don't will certainly have close friends and family who have children who you care about. Just humour me a  minute - take some time out to think of them, their faces and then imagine them from an early age telling you how they hate themselves and wish they were dead because they are so frustrated, imagine them drawing pictures but not fluffy clouds and rainbows, rather matchstick representations of themselves facing a firing squad or with a pot of hot lava from a volcano spilling over them, imagine yourself having to stop them from self-harming...

 Not very nice is it but this is what we and thousands of other families around the country have to face every week...BUT - we count our blessings because thats the negative side of ADHD - there are lots of positives to the condition. Max is such a bright and articulate child, we're always talking about everyting around us, everything is interesting to Max - what a gift that is indeed and he is blessed that he notices all the beauty surrounding him and I am blessed that he shares his intelligent observations with me. Max is a very sensitive and exceptionally loving and caring child,  more so than other children who do not have this condition - a hug and a kiss is never far away when I am with Max and he is acutely aware if other people or living creatures around him are suffering. He is a deep thinker, he is creative and imaginative. We are always on the go and his boundless energy will no doubt keep me young and on my toes as will the laughter we share, because despite everything, even in the bad, dark days,  there is a lot of laughter to be heard in our home - there has to be because what's the alternative?

 Many children with ADHD are gifted in some way - lets not forget that and if their energy can be directed positively the world is their oyster and if we can increase awareness and raise understanding of this challenging condition, then the battle is almost won.

 We are real people - with real feelings - Max's first song he ever learned was Hey Mr DJ by Madonna, on a school morning he has to stand under a hot shower for 2 minutes before he properly wakes up, he loves our 2 cats and sits loving them for ages at night - thats his stress relief, we both love cuddling on the sofa watching a movie together, my downfall are crisps and red wine (which I am resisting now because of my strict training regime for Peru!) - you see we are just like you in so many ways.......

  So please dig deep and sponsor me online and please, the next time you are out having a Sunday lunch in your local carvery and there is a child who is loud, climbing around and looks as thouhg he is completely ignoring his parents attempts to calm them down, please don't be quick to judge, instead remember me and Max and this e-mail because that family could be going through the everyday struggle that is ADHD and your disapproving glances only add to fuel to the fire - I know I've been there hundreds of time but I am one of the lucky ones because I have now learned to accept.

Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: ADDISS will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.

So please sponsor me now!

Many thanks for your support.

 Love Simone and Max