I'm taking part in the Humanrace Eton Supersprints Triathlon on Sunday 17 May 2009 to raise funds for CHASE Hospice Care for Children.

The races take place at the fantastic Dorney Lake, which will be one of the venues for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Each race starts with a 400m open water swim in the clear, clean waters of the rowing lake before taking to the closed, flat road circuit for a 4-lap bike course covering 20k. The final 5k run follows a 2 lap loop along the side of the rowing tank on tarmac paths.

Why CHASE Hospice Care for Children?

My friend Neil and his wife Annette have a daughter called Sophie who suffers from an extremely rare genetic disorder that has made her muscles extremely weak.

Sophie is connected to a ventilator via a trachy to help her breathe. At 20 months old she cannot sit or support her head and requires 24 hr care.

Last year when Sophie first became ill, Sophie, Annette and Neil spent 7 months in hospital before being transferred to CHASE Hospice Care for Children.

They were told by the hospital to expect a 9 month stay whilst being trained in Sophie's care, but CHASE managed to train Neil and Annette and get them home in 8 weeks.

Sophie, Neil and Annette still receive vital care and support from CHASE at Christopher's and from their Community Support Team. This enables Neil and Annette to do 'normal' things that we all take for granted, like eating out or going shopping. It also gives Sophie a chance to experience fun things like swimming, going to parties and playing on the specially adapted swings in the garden.

To read Sophies full story or to get more information about her condition please visit her web site.   www.thesophiestory.co.uk

CHASE costs around £4million per year and relies almost entirely on donations to provide support to families like Neil, Annette and Sophie.  Because of this I've decided to participate in the Eton Supersprints Triathlon - View the web site here.

Please sponsor me and help CHASE to continue doing their fantastic work, supporting families in their time of need.

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: CHASE Hospice Care for Children gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.