‪On the 22nd of April 2018 I will be running the London Marathon and in doing ‬so want to take the opportunity to raise money for a little boy who is very close to my heart.

Oliver Johnston is a gorgeous two year old little boy who was born 2 September 2015 after a very normal pregnancy and labour. He was 'thriving' for the first four weeks of his life then something went wrong - and to this day no-one knows what. He cannot walk, talk or even eat and is fed through a tube in his stomach. He has an undiagnosed neurological condition, a loss of white matter on his brain from birth and a severe developmental delay. In fact, just last week his parents were told he has the development age of an 8 month old...and this might not ever change. The impact of all of this has been devastating. As well as mourning the "normal" life his parents thought he would have and the life changing effects of his undiagnosed neurological condition, his family are battling for therapies to help maximise Oliver's potential. The NHS has limited and finite resources and so his parents are fighting - fighting to help him as much as they can during these key early years. His dad, Paul, has taken the decision to take an unpaid sabbatical and focus on Oliver's development, becoming his carer to ensure he's exposed to as many therapies as possible.

In addition to the expensive therapies, Oliver also needs specialised equipment to give him a better quality of life and assist with his development further. Therapists have also recommended creating an accessible, safe and enclosed space in their back garden so Oliver can enjoy the fresh air and the outdoors alongside his older brother. Whether he's being carried, using a wheelchair or a walker it will allow Oliver to experience the outdoors and all the sensory input instantly. A sensory garden just for Oliver would also help his needs.

So this marathon will be one of the hardest challenges I've put myself through, but the thought that I can help my wee godson in doing this by raising money to invest in him directly through your donations means the world. Even the smallest donation means so much to me and is definitely a massive motivation to get me across the finish line!