I will be taking part in the 2018 Brighton Marathon to help Evie Read achieve a lifelong dream. Evie has spectated at various marathons over the years watching from the sidelines cheering on the Action for A-T runners. Earlier this year, she told her parents that she would like to run a marathon in 2018 and as a result, we have put together a team to help her take part. 

Evie is currently 11 years old and was born with a rare genetic condition called Ataxia Telangiectasia (A-T). This brutal childhood condition will slowly rob her of the everyday things we take for granted such as walking, talking and even swallowing and as a result, she is unable to run the 26.2 miles.

She will therefore take on the marathon in her wheelchair and as part of the Action for A-T "Big Push" team, I will take a turn in pushing her to the finish line.

This is my first ever marathon (I said I would never do one) but when Evie made her commitment, I decided to secure my own marathon place, dust off my running shoes and start the slow and painful process of training to run 26.2 miles.

I hope that you will support Evie and the whole "Big Push" team by donating any amount you can afford. It will help keep me motivated as I pound the pavements during the long dark and cold winter months and more importantly will enable Action for A-T to invest more money in vital medical research. 

Every penny you give will take us one step closer to finding a cure or treatment for this cruel and brutal condition.