Josh is an awesome 9 year old boy, who has varying complex needs. He has a condition called Mitochondrial Disease, which is a chronic, genetic disorder that occurs when the mitochondria of the body’s cells, fail to produce enough energy for cell or organ function. There are many forms of Mitochondria Disease, which presents differently and in severity to each individual. The most common symptoms are:

* Poor growth

* Loss of muscle coordination, muscle weakness

* Neurological problems, seizures

* Autism, autistic spectrum, autistic-like features

* Visual and/or hearing problems

* Developmental delays, learning disabilities

* Heart, liver or kidney disease

* Gastrointestinal disorders, severe constipation

* Diabetes

* Increased risk of infection

* Thyroid and/or adrenal dysfunction

* Autonomic dysfunction

* Neuropsychological changes characterized by confusion, disorientation, and memory loss.

Josh has several of these symptoms and moves around via electric wheelchair/manual wheelchair while out and about or bum shuffles while at home (If he isn’t being lazy that is 😉), as the house isn’t suitable to have the wheelchair inside for him to use.

As Josh is getting bigger/heavier (finally!), it is getting more difficult to move him around at home. So the house is being adapted, with a wet room & downstairs bedroom later this year to make life easier for the family. Josh will also soon need a bigger wheelchair (which will be provided for him) it will mean they need a bigger adapted family car to enable them to spend much needed family time together, as well as transporting him to and from school and regular hospital appointments.

So this is where I ask for your help.............. Last year I took up running, something I never thought I’d stick to, but absolutely love (most of the time). In May 2017, 6 weeks after I’d started running, I took a crazy step and I signed up to complete the Liverpool Half Marathon in May 2018. It’s a year away, it’ll be fine! ..... I’ll be able to run that distance by then! Now It is creeping up on me and it has finally hit home, that I’m about to complete a 13.1 mile run, scary times 😮

For the last couple of years, I have raised money in various ways to help D33 and D35 children’s wards at the QMC in Nottingham.

As this is my first half marathon (and possibly my last), I decided to raise money at the same time, for Josh and family, to help ease the strain, with all the changes, they’re going to have to make this year.

Please dig as deep as you can, for a family that I love dearly ❤️