On Sunday, 31st of May, I shall be running my first marathon, The Edinburgh Marathon, in aid of Foundation Totai! Foundation Totai is based in the town of Trinidad, Bolivia, where I spent a gap-year in 2000/1, working with founders Dr Diego Santana and his wife Jo (from Tenerife and the Scottish Borders, respectively). The Foundation aims to provide services at a low cost to the impoverished surrounding area, with a particular emphasis upon health services. Situated on the southern edge of the Amazon basin, the town of Trinidad is home to 80,000, but disease is widespread due to its precarious position, particularly in the 'rainy season', from November until April. Especially at risk are those who live further 'up-river', often in small villages to which access is challenging. Since its beginnings in 2006, the foundation has provided essential healthcare and health education to thousands in Trinidad and the surrounding areas for whom such provision would normally be far too expensive. Currently, the foundation is facing two major challenges. Firstly, funds are required to complete the construction of a new operating theatre. Surgery is currently carried out in a hospital on the other side of town from the Totai district, a significant logistical headache. It is the long-term goal of Foundation Totai to bring all surgery 'in-house'. Secondly, Foundation Totai provides employment for 19 local workers at a monthly cost of around £236 per worker, a decent wage by Bolivian standards. However, in the past three years, the Bolivian government has raised the minimum wage by 30%, a rapid increase and one which has caused the Foundation to reduce the hours of some of its workers. Your support of my efforts on the 31st of May would provide much-needed support to Foundation Totai, both in its provision of top-quality health services and in maintaining a core Bolivian workforce. Please consider making a donation to this worthy cause. More info available from www.totaifoundation.com. Thank you for visiting my fundraising page.

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It's also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Foundation Totai gets your money faster and, if you're a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

So please sponsor me now!