To celebrate turning 43, I have decided to fundraise for the charity Max Appeal by running 3 marathons in 2017.  Max Appeal is a national charity (based in the West Midlands) supporting children (and adults) with a specific genetic condition, 22q11.2 deletion.  This genetic condition is one of the most common causes of congenital heart disease and also causes problems with the immune system, endocrine function, speech and language and is strongly associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism. As a community paediatrician  I manage the medical needs of  a number of children with 22q11.2 deletion, and appreciate the excellent work this small charity accomplishes in providing information and support to those families affected.

The first marathon on the list is London on the 23^rd April.  It’ll be 20years since I first (and last!) did London, when I ran it as a medical student – so it’ll be a test to see whether old legs can out run the younger version! The 2^nd is in Birmingham in October and 3^rd is in Malaga in December. There’s been some tough training miles already with a fair few to come!

Thank you for your support and for visiting my Just Giving Page.

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. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.