Six years ago I attended a Charity Ball in St Neots for a condition I'd never heard of called Neurofibromatosis.  I will confess it was purely as the opportunity to enjoy a night out and of course raise some money for a charity. 

What happened next was just a life changing moment for me … as I fell hook line and sinker in love with a little boy called Emilio who was diagnosed with one of the conditions - NF1 which is a debilitating condition affecting a persons nervous system where tumours grow both internally and externally completely indiscriminately and without warning causing many many complications throughout a persons life affecting all ages. 

Ever since that moment my relationship with Emilio plus his brother Luis and sister Mimi has been amazing and I class their parents as dear and close friends - Mel & Jose!

Two years ago they made a life changing decision to relocate to Liverpool from St Neots in Cambs to find a school that can allow Emilio to flourish and grow in the things he loves and to not let his condition and his visual impairment caused by the condition to hold him back … and he has found this with St Vincents in earnest!

I was humbled and honoured to have been invited to go into the school late last year for a Halloween Party and it was true eye opener to see the passion and commitment from the staff and the team there and to see the love and warmth they have for each child irrespective of their disability …

One thing that Emilio has always wanted to do and was never encouraged to do at his old main-stream school in Cambridgeshire with his visual impairment was to take part in his love for Sport!  His sister Mimi rides horses and his brother Luis plays football and Emilio wanted to do the same … and St Vincents allowed that dream to come true !  Check out the article / interview with Emilio and his parents with the Liverpool Echo! 

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/meet-visually-impaired-boy-whose-17399890

So you can see why I am doing this for St Vincents, for Emilio and for his classmates … it touched my heartstrings and I know it'll touch yours and be able to run and raise awareness for the school and the charity that supports it and to raise very important funds is dear to my heart! 

#TeamEmilio

#StVincents

At the Catholic Blind Institute (Charity Registration No 1102657) it is our vision to provide an environment in which our children, young people and adults are enabled to achieve a life of fulfilment, security and dignity, irrespective of disability, infirmity or age. Through St. Vincent’s School, Christopher Grange Residential Care Home and Christopher Grange Rehabilitation Centre we aim to support those affected by sight loss and other impairments.