Thank you for visiting my page, I really hope the following little statement about why I am doing the London Marathon 2020 inspires you to donate whatever you can towards this wonderful cause. 

Lets first acknowledge the elephant in the room... I am not a runner, far from it. I have a happy relationship with booze, the occasional cigarette when times get tough and love my bed a worrying amount. Running is not something that comes naturally to me but it has always been something I have wanted to achieve. Having been selected to support this  charity I am, as a result,  ecstatic to be making a difference whilst I do it.

I am supporting this charity for two main reasons. For Hannah, and for children just like Hannah. 

Hannah, my cousin, was born and lived with Pfeiffer Syndrome. This is a genetic disorder that means that the skull bones fuse prematurely. This fusion prevents the skull from growing normally and causes significant problems. By the age of 5 years old Hannah had had 10+ major operations. She was a registered blind, the condition affected her hearing and for periods of her life she required a tracheostomy to breath effectively. Hannah was in significant pain throughout her life.

Despite this obstacle filled life Hannah was, a poet, a swimmer, a sailor, an artist, a sister, a daughter, and a friend of many many people. She was so much more than this, but words are often lost on me when it comes to describing her life.

This page might help : www.hannahlindfield.co.uk

 In November 2014 Hannah chose to end her battle with Pfeiffer Syndrome, she came home from the hospital, we surrounded her with the people she loves and over a strangely beautiful two weeks she drifted away. 

She died on November 25th, she was 23. 

In so many ways we were lucky. At every chance they could Hannah's family lived at home with her, they had community nurses that helped care for Hannah, extra help from friends and family and mostly she lived a very independent life. 

However, when Hannah needed to be in hospital it meant that the family often had to divide and conquer. They would take it in turns to be in London with her, stay with grandparents, stay with friends, work out a way to live a very tricky life at times together, and frequently apart. Despite this crazy life, the Lindfield Family are one of the closest, kindest, most joyful family I know. 

As a Paediatric Nurse, families being pulled in opposite directions due to child illness is something I now realise happens time and time again, the strain, pain, emotional turmoil on these families is immense. Please take a moment to try and imagine such an ordeal, its gut wrenching and for so many a reality. 

WellChild Charity, the one I am fundraising for here, is a charity that tries its very best to tackle this very problem, bringing families back together, at home with their unwell child, in a safe, independent enviroment.

Their tagline is this: 

Over 100,00 children and young people are living with serious illness or exceptional health needs across the UK. Many spend months, even years in hospital because there is no supper enabling them to leave. Our vision is for every child and young person living with serious health needs to have the best chance to thrive - properly supported at home with their families.

So friends, I am giving up the cigs, cutting down on the booze and ending my relationship with my cosy bed in the hope that I can raise money for this wonderful cause, these brave families and also maybe learn to love running in the process! 

Thank you all so much for helping! Love to you all. 

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

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. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity