Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I am running in the Great North Run on 20th September 2009 to raise funds for Coeliac UK. 

My youngest son, Oliver, was diagnosed with Coeliac disease when he was just 2 years old.  Coeliac disease is caused by intolerance to gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye.  Coeliac disease is a life-long condition which affects the whole body.  Gluten damages the gut, which prevents normal digestion and absorption of food.  If undetected in the long term it can lead to, amongst other things, anaemia, poor bone health and weight loss because your body is not absorbing food properly.  Unfortunately, you are born with the genes and the symptoms can be triggered at any time in your life - for example during illness, stress, or after an accident, but the majority of people are diagnosed mid-life.

It has been a steep learning curve, but the help and support of Coeliac UK has proved invaluable.  Oliver's health is now greatly improved by managing his diet.  We would not have been able to adapt as easily as we have without their help and for that reason I want to thank them by raising much needed funds.  This will help towards the production of gluten-free Food and Drink Directories, information packs for newly diagnosed Coeliacs, helpline running costs, better diagnosis and management of the condition, improved food labelling and provision of gluten-free foods, and medical research into all aspects of Coeliac disease.

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 Coeliac UK and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.