In 2023 I'll hit the BIG 40, so have decided it's time for a BIG challenge; I'll be running 26.2 miles in the London Marathon in memory of my grand-father, Dennis Teer.

My grand-father was also a runner and ran in the very first London Marathon in 1981, which was also the year he turned 50.  This year, I shall literally be following in his footsteps and hope that I will do him proud.  

Guide Dogs for the Blind is a very significant charity for my family.  My grand-father's daughter (my mother) was born visually impaired.  As she got older, her sight deteriorated and she got her first guide dog, Uffa, when she was 20.  By the age of 22, she had totally lost her sight. Uffa became her eyes and meant she could go out independently and take part in all the things she loved to do.  Since Uffa, my mum has had Helga, Bill, Ivy and currently has Yuri.  Despite her sight loss, they have all enabled her to live an active life.

The following year, aged 23, my mother gave birth to me.  She has never seen me.  My mother is blind, but she still did the school run, took me to after school activites and on summer holidays.  I never felt like I was missing out, and that was very much thanks to her having Uffa to help her navigate.

My mother is not the only member of my family who has benefitted from having a trained guide dog.  My father is also visually impaired and both of my brothers inherited the congenital sight loss from both of my parents.  My younger brother has a guide dog who helps him get around and my father has also had several guide dogs.  Without their dogs, it would have been very difficult for my family to get out independently and I'm sure that without Uffa my childhood would have been very different.

Guide Dogs for the Blind believe that no one should be held back by a visual impairment.  Every day, 250 more people join the 2 million already living with sight loss.  This number is set to double by 2050, which is why their work is more important than ever before.  Your donation will truly help Guide Dogs continue to provide their life-changing services, so thank you 🙏

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