In memory of my Dad, Dean Sheldon. 

My sister and I have ambitiously set ourselves the challenge to run a number of events starting with the Birmingham 10km run in February, Cannock Chase 10km run in April, another 10km run in Birmingham in May, a 10km in July and then onto a half marathon on August 16th in Cannock Chase, as we want to raise awareness and funds for Alpha-1 UK Support Group (Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency), as this genetic condition has impacted our family enormously. 

Anyone who knows me will know I am not a runner so this will be a big challenge for myself! However, I am more determined than ever to complete these events and challenge myslef to even tougher events in the future. 

The reason I am pushing myself out of my comfort zone is because my amazing Dad, Dean, was diagnosed with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, which led to him developing a terrible lung and liver disease. He sadly lost his battle on the 13th of January 2023. This all happened very suddenly and has been a very emotional time for us all. Throughout all of this, Dean kept a big smile on his face and kept a positive outlook on everything. He was the bravest man I knew and will always be an inspiration to me, my sister and my Mom for how he coped with everything he faced. 

When Dean was diagnosed with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency it was a big shock to all of the family as we had not heard much about the condition and what was to come. The support and guidance Dean and our family have received from Alpha-1 charities, Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham and St Giles hospice in Lichfield is so important and helpful. So I want to fundraise for this support group so they can continue to help more families like us through their Alpha-1 diagnosis and beyond. 

Please use this opportunity to learn a little bit about this condition, visit their website and help me raise awareness so that it is more widely recognised and understood. 

https://alpha1.org.uk/

I aim to post some updates on this page with more information and include some updates on how my running and training is going!

Thank you in advance for your donation, it really means a lot to me, and I hope my sister and I can make our Dad proud with the run!