On Sunday 13th October, Dad and I are running the Royal Parks Half Marathon in London for Crohns & Colitis UK (C&C UK).

C&C UK is a fantastic charity that is doing all it can to help people who live with Crohns / Colitis and we want to play our part in raising money for the cause.

Have you met Bryony Hopkins? She's great. Have you heard of Crohns Disease? It's horrible. Unfortunately these two know each other very well. It all started back in 1996 when Bryony was just four years old and has battled with this physically and mentally debilitating disease for over twenty-three years. 

Here's the horrible side: Bryony has been through six major abdominal operations, countless different drug combinations and hours and hours of pain every day for as long as she can remember. That's without mentioning the hundreds of other symptoms and consequences that all of the above has brought with it. However, many people wouldn't know about Bryony's condition as it is a silent disease.

Here's the great stuff (it doesn't involve Crohns!): Bryony is an incredible woman. As mentioned above, Crohns is an invisible disease, but that is also because Bryony doesn't let it get the better of her or her life. She does everything she can to live her life to the full - a prospering career as a senior journalist, freelance work, a full social life and enough time to eat as much as she can! All whilst dealing with a tonne of nasty stuff you and I wouldn't understand.

With a condition like Crohns, you never know what is coming next around the corner. That's why the work C&C UK do is so important. Over 300,00 people in the UK alone live with Crohns Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. That's why we are running the Half Marathon to raise money for C&C UK.

What your money would be paying for:

• Your donation of £10 could help fund a life changing call to the information and support lines.
• £22.80 could help provide 10 pieces of vital information to help manage life if you are affected by inflammatory bowel disease.
• £153.83 could help fund a full day's research that will improve lives today, and that one day could deliver a cure.
• £800 could pay for someone living with Crohn's or Colitis to get the training they need so they can get back into work.
• An exceptional donation of £5000 could fund one of our family days that provide face-to-face practical support for 40 children and their families to help them build their confidence and form friendships.