I didn't think I'd actually ever be able to write this but in a few weeks (3/10/21) I'm running the London marathon!! I've had debilitating knee issues for many years, but following some extensive Joe Wicks strength training beginning late last year and 7 months of strict running training I've just completed my final 24mile training run and feeling pretty excited about it, and also a little nervous!

Training has been brutal! Trying to fit in training with children, life, work and trying to keep some sort of normality has been so tricky at times, but I'm so proud of what I've achieved and in the last 8 months I've run just short of 1000 miles! Big thanks to everyone who's supported me through this, especially those who have joined me running.

I've chosen an amazing charity that's close to my heart to raise money for - AVUK. I'm a Paediatric Audiologist who diagnoses hearing loss in babies and young children and I have seen first hand how hard it is for some children and families to get the support they need. Auditory Verbal therapy is a charity that believes all deaf babies and children should have the opportunity to listen and speak alongside their hearing peers. It's only able to properly support about 160 families every year, but this is just 8% of those who could be helped. AVUK work closely with the families and produce incredible results for the children with their speech and language progress.

I would love to be able to raise as much money as I can, to help support AVUK in the amazing work they do. If I could raise money to help put a child through the program or help fund a training place for another therapist that would be fantastic and would really help me push through that inevitable 'wall' around mile 15 or so for me!

Any amount of support would be brilliant, thank you so much

Row xx



Some info from AVUK:

AVUK believes that every deaf child should have the opportunity to learn to listen and speak. There are around 7,200 profoundly deaf babies and young children in the UK at any one time 90% of whom will be born to hearing parents. Hearing technology such as CI's or hearing aids can provide access to sound but this alone is not enough to develop optimal speech and language. Additional regular support from a qualified auditory verbal therapist who can coach the parent or carers in AVT can achieve transformational results.

AVUK changed our lives. It has been the best intervention for David’s speech, language, socialisation and development skills and AVUK has been amazing so helpful and supportive every step of the way (David's Mum, Irina)

As a result of AVUK and the constant support we received, Mia continues to achieve age appropriate language and is thriving both at home and in school. By the time she graduated from AVUK at the age of four years, she had the average language skills of a seven year old (Mia;s mum, Rayan)

"We see results week on week thanks to Auditory Verbal UK. There is no way we would have the knowledge of how to work on listening and talking without AVUK and I am sure his progress would be very different without them. Benjamin actively listens now in all situations which means his listening and speech skills are improving day by day. Without the skills that AVUK have taught us as parents, the way he is listening in each and every situation wouldn’t be happening. The team are so kind and I remember our first session feeling worried as it had been a battle to get Ben fitted with the right technology to enable him to hear speech. But when we walked through those doors I felt a sense of hope and understanding. There was no “maybe he won’t” or negativity, it was “he can and he will”. (Ben's mum, Joanna)

Without this support, we know that deaf children can underachieve at school, and are at higher risk of social exclusion, bullying and lower employment prospects. We think this shouldn't be the case.

AVUK is the only UK charity providing AVT. It supports about 160 families every year, but this is just 8% of those that could be helped. With your support they can offer more sessions to families and train even more auditory verbal therapists so that every deaf child in the UK can achieve their full potential.

www.avuk.org