Thanks for getting this far. Most of you visiting probably know that my lovely wife Steph spent last year running pretty much the length of the country to raise money. 

Well....my Nana took note of this and asked if I'd be able to put my love of running to use and try to raise some funds and awareness for the charity Rett UK - How could I say no to my 92 year young Nan and why would I? 

Let me start at the beginning and tell you about why she asked. 

Her daughter Philippa , my mum's sister and my aunt, suffers from Rett Syndrome.  You probably don't know what that is - that's ok, most don't. 

Rett Syndrome is a rare neurological disorder that effects mainly females. The syndrome is present at conception but usually remains un-detected until a later date in your child's life. 

Imagine being told your son or daughter, who you thought was healthy but perhaps slow to progress, in fact had a rare and devastating disability that would eventually leave them needing lifelong 24/7 care. They would eventually be robbed of the ability to walk, talk and feed themselves. 

That is exactly what happened to Philippa who is now under constant care. She wasn't formally diagnosed until the age of 25.  One of the oldest sufferers of the Syndrome she's been key in helping with diagnosis and moving treatment forward by helping to find the genes that cause this condition. 

The charity - Rett UK - www.rettuk.org - well they're ace. They help families deal with the condition when first diagnosed. Sharing information and support when you are told your child has the syndrome.  They offer constant support throughout, from childhood to adulthood, offer local support groups to those in need of help and advice and have been a huge help to my family over the years. 

So with the aid of my legs and some kind friends I'm hoping to create awareness of this condition, the charity and raise some money to help with the great work they do. 

What to do I plan to do. 

At the moment, I'm pretty open to suggestions and ideas. I've got a few runs booked in, 2 marathons in March, a few half marathons in the spring and an Ultra Marathon in July - I'll be looking to fill up the diary with runs and cycles and other physical events that will push me throughout the year with an aim to raise as much as I can,  so I will be bothering you all - most of the year. 

I'll write blog to keep you a breast of events I'm up to and how my training is going and snippets from the charity to keep you all in the loop. 

https://alexslack100.wixsite.com/run-for-rett

I'd be so pleased if you were able to donate to help this charity that has done a huge amount to support my family and my Auntie Philippa. 

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.