Zac was born on 18th January 2013 and at the age of 2 is a cheeky little monkey, full of fun with the odd tantrum thrown in here and there. Daily life includes playgroups, singing and gymnastics classes and his hero/heroin's include Peppa Pig, Batman and Thomas the Tank Engine ! To look at him when he is well you would have no idea he has a rare, potentially life threatening condition.

Zac has congenital pan hypo pituitarism having been born with a very small anterior pituitary gland and an ectopic posterior pituitary with no visible stalk. Put simply he is deficient in several hormones - growth, sex, cortisol and thyroid.

With the help of modern medicine we are told Zac will lead a full life - he is injected once a day with growth hormone and a thyroid tablet and four times a day with cortisol. This critical therapy helps to regulate blood pressure, the immune system, helping the body respond to stress and helping the body to balance insulin to regulate blood/sugar levels.

In his two very happy years we have dealt with 4 adrenal crises, which has resulted in hurried calls to the ambulance service in the middle of the night, and subsequent hospital stays in the High Dependancy Unit.

We are running the London Marathon to raise awareness of pituitary conditions to provide additional funding for the Pituitary Foundation so that Zac and others can benefit from both the support function the charity provides and the research projects which help to advance medical science in this area. 

About the Pituitary Foundation

The Pituitary Foundation is a national support and information organisation for pituitary patients, their families, friends and carers. They are the UK’s leading charity providing support to people affected by rare disorders of the pituitary gland.

The Pituitary Foundation operates throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland. They are a relatively small charity, with seven members of staff. Every penny really does count to the charity, they rely on donations as they do not receive any government funding

They run essential services such as a Freephone Telephone Helpline, Endocrine Nurse Helpline, local support groups across the UK and a library of information booklets for patients.

The pituitary is a hormone-producing gland and there are many disorders associated with the pituitary gland, with different symptoms and treatments depending on a patient's particular condition

Once diagnosis is reached, patients face treatments such as neurosurgery, radiotherapy and possible life-long hormone replacement treatments. Pituitary disorders impact on a person's quality of life and for some patients their condition is life-long and can have a debilitating affect.  

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 the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.