As many of you know, just over 2 years ago my son  Ben was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease at the age of 6. Every year more and more children are getting diagnosed and need help with all aspects of this debilitating disease.

The Crohn’s in Childhood Research Association (CICRA) is dedicated to creating a wider understanding of Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis, particularly as it affects children and young adults. It raises funds to support approved medical and scientific research aimed at finding more effective treatments and an eventual cure.

CICRA sponsors Research Fellowships and PhD studentships and gives grants for approved research projects in major gastroenterological centres nationwide. Investment in research has led to new treatments to help sufferers and has helped to train many of the specialists who today treat children throughout the UK.

Support and understanding is given to parents and carers of children and teenagers through the many people working with CICRA who have been through the same experience.

My family has personally benefited from the Work that CICRA does and Ben's consultant was given a grant by them to help him specialise in pediatric gastroenterology. I feel I owe them a lot and want to raise every penny I can so they can help every child they can.

So in September of this year me and two others are planning on running at least 3 laps over 2 days of the London South Tough Mudder (possibly 4 depending on timing on the Sunday) This will equal about 12 miles a lap with 20+ obstacles involving ice, electricity and mud. So all in all hopefully 48 miles in 32 hours.

Now we're not the fittest Team and I have an irrational hatred of running so this will be a real challenge. We've never done more than 1 lap a day over 2 days so it's a real step up for us.

Please support us and CICRA with anything you can and help them help children with this horrible disease.