Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page in support of my niece Lily and the Ronald McDonald House.

On April 18th I will be tackling my first ever full marathon, the Connemarathon, in Connemara Co. Galway. Completing a full marathon has been a big goal of mine for a few years. I want to make the experience extra special by using this opportunity to raise vital funds for a charity very close to mine and my family's lives and to raise awareness for anyone suffering from a rare medical condition. 

I want to run this race for my little but fierce niece, Lily. Lily was born with 8 rare medical conditions which makes her very unique. Her condition is called VACTERL syndrome. My niece has had more procedures/surgeries/appointments than most people will have in their lifetime and she is only 2 years old. Raising awareness for people with rare diseases can help others understand more about those diseases and help those dealing with the conditions. Besides dealing with the medical problems, people with rare diseases struggle to receive a proper diagnosis, find information and get treatment. The rarity of their condition makes medical research more difficult. Lily lets NOTHING stop her. She surprises us every single day with her determination to keep up with her brothers and defies even the doctor's expectations of her capabilities. Her condition does not define her but raising awareness can help others find this sense of strength.

I also want to run this race to raise money for a very special charity. The charity I have chosen is The Ronald McDonald House (RMH). The RMH helps provide accommodation and support to families of seriously ill children. Many families travel far from home to get the treatment and specialist support they need. Often, it can be a long time to be away from home. The RMH is located directly next to the Children's hospital so that the parents have a place to call home during their child's stay. RMH provides this service free of charge for the families by using donations made by people like you and me. My sister and her family have stayed at RMH during Lily's frequent hospital visits. She and her husband also have two older boys who were able to stay here too to be close to their mom and dad. They felt supported and comforted during so many uncertain times. It is an amazing organization for families with children with specialized medical needs.

If you can help by donating it would mean so much to so many families. Every little donation makes a difference. Please do not feel like any amount is too small. Every little bit counts! 

Thank you for taking the time to read this and thank you in advance for supporting RMH and Lily and her family!!

**Due to the current circumstances, I am unsure if the race will go ahead in person BUT I will still be running a full marathon on April 18th whether that is in person or virtually. If you need some motivation to get moving you can also put this date in your calendar and set a goal for yourself whether that be a walk, 5km, 10km, half marathon ect. and train along with me virtually for the next couple months! 

**If making a donation from Ireland/Europe, please follow the gofundme page here to make a donation: https://www.gofundme.com/f/running-for-lily-and-RMH