Some of you know that the last few months have been the hardest of my life. Our daughter Sophie was born in December with a rare condition called Congenital Melanocytic Naevus (CMN). It’s so rare that no doctor in the London hospital where she was born had seen it.

It means Sophie has large birthmarks on her face and body. Her case is extensive and she has very little skin that isn’t covered. Sophie also has a rare complication of CMN in that she has melanosis (a bit like moles) in her brain. This could mean seizures or developmental delays but at the moment she has no symptoms. We hope this will remain the case but it’s a wait and see situation.

Sophie is under the care of Dr Veronica Kinsler at Great Ormond Street Hospital. In 2013 Dr Kinsler found the gene responsible for CMN and she and her team are working towards a cure.

I want to help fund their research.

In September I will be trekking Hadrian’s Wall for Caring Matters Now, the CMN charity that supported me and my family when Sophie was born and continues to do so and which helps fund Dr Kinsler’s research.

Please sponsor me. If you’re my friend, please sponsor me. If you’re my colleague, old or new, please sponsor me. If we’ve ever had a laugh together, if you know me well or not at all, please sponsor me. And if you like helping smiley children like Sophie (see photos), please sponsor me.

At a very low point during the past few months a close friend told me this was the fight of my life. Please help me fight it by sponsoring me.

Thank you x