Every year we take on a challenge to raise money and awareness for rare health conditions and charities, this year is different as I will be taking on 2 challenges for 3 charities with the help of my friends and charity co-ordinators.

My first chosen charity is Pectus Matters, I am a trustee of this newly registered charity. This charity is the only one of its kind in the UK, we support children, adults and their families with the chest wall malformations Pectus Excavatum (funnel chest) and Pectus Carinatum (pigeon chest). Our objectives are to advocate for people with Pectus conditions by providing information about the malformations, signposting to treatment options, and in the near future, provide small grants to assist with travel and accommodation which will facilitate access to treatment. Pectus malformations can affect 1 in 400 - 1500 children and are more common in boys. These malformations can range from mild to very severe, I have a mild case and my son Bobby had a very severe case which crushes his heart and lungs causing heart function impairment, eating and swallowing dysfunction, scoliosis, breathlessness, fatigue and pain. The NHS funding for surgery for pectus conditions was withdrawn in 2019 for all severities, and since, we have campaigned to have this reinstated and obtain funding for Bobby's much needed surgery. We achieved this in February 2024 and Bobby finally had his surgery in June 2024 which has been life changing for him. We continue to campaign as there are too many others that are still yet to be accepted. https://www.pectusmatters.co.uk

Sturge Weber Syndrome is a rare neurological condition which affects around 1 in 20,000 - 50,000 births. It is characterised by a port wine birth mark on the face, typically the forehead and upper eyelid. Present from birth, this condition also presents with epilepsy, hemiplegia (paralysis on one side of the body) glaucoma, learning difficulties and calcifications in parts of the brain caused by abnormal blood vessels on the brain's surface. This condition causes seizures that begin in infancy and worsen with age, migraines, cognitive impairment, muscle weakness, developmental delays and pressure in the eye which can lead to bulging. We will be supporting the charity Sturge Weber UK who raise money to promote research and information sharing about the condition. https://www.sturgeweber.org.uk

Neuroblastoma is an aggressive childhood cancer affecting around 100 children each year in the UK. Typically affecting children under the age of five, this condition develops in nerve cells called neuroblasts, these cells are responsible for the development of the sympathetic nervous system, but with neuroblastoma, the cells grow at a more rapid pace into a tumour usually originating in the adrenal glands. We will be supporting the Amelia-Mae Foundation, a charity which was founded to support families affected by neuroblastoma following the devastating death of Amelia-Mae in July 2013. This charity promotes awareness of the condition, provides family support and now has a holiday home for families to make precious memories. https://www.ameliamaefoundation.co.uk

To raise a sufficient amount of funds to help all three charities we will be taking on;

- Get Caked muddy run & assault course - 20th April - 5 miles - Completed

- Yorkshire 3 peaks in 12 hours - 5th October - 25 miles

This will be the biggest challenge I've ever taken on, I'm not the fittest and I have no experience in attempting endurance events, but with the right support, it's certainly something I'm keen and willing to put myself through for these very deserving causes.

Please give what you can to support them.