Thank you for visiting my fundraising page. I am running the 2023 London marathon to raise money for Unique, an organisation that I have leaned on over the last 5 years.

My son Ayden is a happy little boy, physically perfect and healthy with a funny, quirky personality.  He has a beautiful smile and when he laughs, it makes you laugh too. 

When Ayden was very young, it was apparent that he had some developmental delays, though I remained hopeful he would catch up with his peers.  However Ayden was diagnosed with a rare chromosome duplication syndrome at the age of 3.  In some ways it was a relief to know there was an explanation behind his behaviours.  It was also a confusing and worrying time not knowing what this diagnosis meant.  

Unique was recommended by Ayden’s Paediatrician. It helps families like mine, to support them through a rare chromosome diagnosis. They provide a network connecting families who are facing similar challenges and offer advice and support.

Ayden's chromosome condition is connected to other diagnoses he's since received.  He is now 8 and needing full time supervision. He has a development age of around 2 and because he is physically fine with no treatment required as such,  very little professional support is available.

Instead, Ayden needs a different kind of care, he needs time to understand information he receives, time to process what he’s thinking, and to be given extra attention when working out what he is trying to communicate.  Navigating through our neurotypical world is challenging and frustrating for him and as a family we are constantly seeking more support, appropriate groups he can access and advice as he grows and his needs change.

Resources to support Ayden and what we need as a family are woefully inadequate, that’s why the charity Unique is so important.  There is nothing mainstream about Ayden's development and for that reason it is a very lonely road to walk along; a heart-breaking realisation when you become a parent-carer and life takes a completely different course to what you expected. 

Ayden’s additional needs brings about many physical and emotional challenges for me as a parent, however he also brings me so much joy. He’s always loved getting cuddles and recently started to give them too.  He never ceases to surprise me, having recently learnt how to swim.  He loves water but I genuinely thought it would take many more years, if at all.

I started my training later than I should have and setback a week due to illness, however now I’m almost back on and really excited about getting through the course and all the training leading up to it.  I would be so grateful if you could donate and support me in my mission on 23rd April. 

Thank you. ❤️