Stop Press: If I reach my target of £2,000 I promise to run the marathon dressed as Cookie Monster.

I'm Ellen. I'm running the 2012 London Marathon for Fight for Sight, an amazing charity which raises funds to support research into a wide range of eye conditions, including glaucoma, macular degeneration, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy and the causes of childhood blindness.

You can follow my training at ellenrunsamarathon.wordpress.com

I work for the College of Optometrists where I coordinate the Final Assessment for trainee optometrists. I like to think that one of the trainees I support through their exams could go on to do groundbreaking research into debilitating eye conditions. Your donation will help make that possible. You never know - the £5 you donate today could save your sight in a few years time.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.