Why walk continuously for hours and hours (including through the night) to complete the 100km Thames Ultra Path Challege I hear you ask? Good question! The reason is my brother.

My brother Alan Charlton has Diabetes. He has lived with the condition since he was 17 years old. He survived all the trials and tribulations adjusting to the condition in his teenage years. Today he turned 50. Diabetes has never stopped him living and working. He has a wonderful, supportive family for which he is the breadwinner. He is self-employed. He coaches several young football teams, giving his time and support freely. However, for the past year Alan has endured monthly eye injections due to severe maculopathy, a complication of diabetes which produces bleeding in the eyes. This injection is given directly into the eyeball. It is excruciatingly painful and debilitating for hours afterwards.

I am immensely proud of my brother for not giving up, for continuing to fight on. Even when he blacked-out twice last year due to diabetes, he was back on his feet the next day providing for his family. My brother is a hero!

So the answer to my question is this.... There will be parts of the walk that will be uncomfortable. Parts that will be painful. I may get injured. However, there is nothing I will experience on this Challenge that comes close to what my brother has endured during the past year. He hasn't given up, neither will I.

Please help me raise as much money as possible for Diabetes UK who are working hard discovering pioneering treatments and new technologies to help make living with diabetes easier, including saving someone's sight.... including Alan's. Let's stop maculopathy in its tracks, together.  Thank you!