Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Up until now the only marathon I have attempted has been a drinking marathon. Don't get me wrong, I have been quite successful with this. None more so than when I am celebrating 'Danny day', the day I entered this world, 9th October.

This year to mark my 26th birthday I am going to change all that. I had been training for the half marathon in my current home city, Melbourne, Australia. However I was a bit slack in registering, now the places are sold out. As a 'punishment' I have instead registered to go the distance for the Melbourne full marathon, 42.195km. I had done some decent training for the half, but now I have just 6 weeks to condition myself for the full marathon. 

What better reason to put myself through this than to help others less fortunate. There are children in Africa who have barely just entered this world but have already lost those closest to them. They have lost their parents through war, famine, disease and poverty. They are alone, without the kind and loving family and friends that I have in you.

So I have decided to donate all funds I raise from this marathon to SOS Children's Villages (www.soschildrensvillages.org.uk). SOS Children's Villages provide a new family and home for more than 78,000 children in 518 unique Children’s Villages. They help children whose parents are not there for them. They may be AIDS orphans, street children, child soldiers or children orphaned by war, poverty or natural disasters. They give these children a mother and a family in a home within an SOS Children’s Village. Their work is critical in saving and building lives of the young, none more so than in famine stricken East Africa.

Today, children in East Africa are facing a desperate crisis caused by prolonged drought, soaring food prices and conflict. This crisis is getting worse and we need to act now to save lives. The drought which is currently engulfing parts of East Africa is the worst to hit the region in over 60 years. According to the United Nations, over 12.4 million people are now facing starvation, with entire families and communities abandoning their homes in desperate search of food and water.

Any contribution you can make is greatly appreciated. Close friends and family who buy me birthday presents/give me birthday money, please just add that money to your contribution, this birthday isn't about me, it is about helping others.

Those donating from Australia you can still use an Australian Visa/Mastercard. $1 currently exchanges at around £0.65.

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.

Thank you for visiting my page and thank you ever so much for your support. I will be raising a toast to you the evening of my birthday when I can punish my livers again.

Dan.