Caroline's New York Marathon page

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On 23rd April 2017 I achieved a lifelong ambition to run the London Marathon (in 4.01.01!).  It was an amazing experience, so amazing, I’ve decided to take on another Marathon challenge and on Sunday 4th November 2018 I will be running the NEW YORK MARATHON!

I will be one of around 50,000 runners, pounding the streets of New York, covering the city’s 5 boroughs and 5 bridges.

I will also be one of the many running to raise money for well deserving charities all over the world.

In November, I am running for Usher Kids UK through the charity RP Fighting Blindness.

Why Usher Kids UK?

A very good friend of mine has children the same age as mine (11 and 9).  We met through baby groups when our eldest were born.  Her youngest child was born with a rare genetic condition called Usher syndrome.  The major symptoms are deafness and an eye disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP).  RP initially causes night-blindness and then a progressive loss of peripheral vision beginning in childhood, worsening in the teenage years and leading many adults with Usher syndrome to lose their vision completely.  For a deaf person, the loss of vision is particularly challenging, as they rely on their sight so much more than hearing people.  Usher syndrome is the leading cause of deaf-blindness, but there is currently no cure.

Usher syndrome hasn’t stopped my friend’s daughter living a happy and ‘normal’ life, doing all the things 9 year old girls do.  Whilst she was born profoundly deaf, she is now able to hear through a cochlear implant fitted when she was a baby.  Over the next few years however, her sight will start to deteriorate.  There are currently no treatments to tackle the vision loss, so unlike with her hearing, there is nothing that can be done to stop her vision worsening throughout her childhood.

My friend feels strongly that children with Usher syndrome should not have to face a future of isolation. There was no support group in existence in the UK, so she set up Usher Kids UK to help support and raise awareness for families affected by Usher syndrome.  On 22nd June 2019 she is organising the first ever Usher Kids UK event.  For many of the 30-40 families involved this will be the first time they have ever met another child/family with Usher syndrome, and it will be an amazing opportunity for them to;




Discuss issues and receive tailored support - individual and family wideDetermine a list of priorities to tackle over the next 3 years - covering amongst other things, Research, Mental Health, Career planningBuild face to face networks for parents, but particularly for the kidsIt's an opportunity for the kids to have a great experience together and feel comfortable with their condition, for siblings of those with Ushers to spend time with other siblings, for the parents to feel more connected and empowered and overall develop relationships within their 'Usher Families'.

The money raised through RP Fighting Blindness will support this event, which has no funding and is relying on donations and goodwill from suppliers and parties involved. 


This is a cause close to my heart and I would like to raise as much money as possible to help Usher Kids UK.

My target is to raise £4,000.  So here is where I need your help…..

It would be amazing if you would sponsor me – the money raised will all go towards the Usher Kids UK event and your support will really help me stay motivated to pound the pavements over the next few months and indeed on the days when it gets tough (which I know it does through experience!!!)

Anything you can give, big or small, will make a huge difference to the children and families affected by this condition.

For more information about Usher Kids UK go to www.usherkidsuk.com

Thanks so much for your support – I will post some updates on how the training is going! 

Roll on 4th November…………

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