I am a devoted father to three children and I understand the genuine joy and happiness that kids bring from the early days of changing nappies to the stressful times of boyfriends and booze. Granted, they're a pain in the arse at the best of times but they enrich your life so much that you realise they're probably what life is all about, and with any luck they'll come to the same realisation when they themselves have kids. 

Sometimes life interrupts this cycle through child illnesses and in these cases it is crucial to both parents and child that every day counts and is lived to the full. This is what Demelza ensures for families affected by child illness.They create precious moments and happy memories and offer care to the whole family. 

So I want to take a pause from the self indulgence of daily life and do something suitably insane that my friends and colleagues take notice and donate even a small amount to such an amazing cause. 

Last year I participated in the South Wales 100, a 105 mile running race through the Brecon Beacons and valleys of Wales. As far as 100 mile races go, this is no walk in the park. I've completed 100 miles of hilly terrain in less than 24 hours but last year after 34 hours of gruelling torture I got lost during the second night of running (you have to self-navigate just to make it that bit harder) and missed the cut-off point at mile 86. It's not just the distance that kills you, and it's not the 6,400 metres of ascent (higher than Mount Kilimanjaro), it's the boggy, trenchy, two nights in a row of fumbling through fields and forests, sometimes alone for several hours with mild hallucinations and deja vu that plays it's psychological toll. At one point I reached a small bridge and thought I was a troll. 

Last year only 7 people finished out of 28 starters. 

This year I won't be beaten! Ok, there's every chance that I will be beaten but that sounded kind of macho. 

Please give your support by donating money towards this cause that should touch all of our hearts, and if you can't manage that then kind words would be a good second best, and if that's too much of a stretch then at least poke fun at me when I can barely walk the day after the event.