My dear friends Lizzie and James, recently received the devastating news that their 3 year old boy, Sebastian, has the rare and life-limiting disease, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), for which there is currently no cure. Click on 'Sebastian's Story' above, to find out more.

Exciting research is taking place into this disease, but because it is so rare, funding to help children like Sebastian is limited.

I am putting myself through various degrees of physical punishment, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future, on behalf of my little buddy Sebastian.

After completing the City of Lincoln 10k run on 2 Apr 17, raising a total of £340, I'm now preparing to take on the Great North Run half marathon on 10 Sep 17 as a member of Team Action Duchenne. (I'm also hoping to run in the London Marathon for them).

I really need as much help from you as I can get, to raise money for this vital cause. Please dig deep and donate to Action Duchenne to help fund more research into treatments and maybe even a cure, so that children like Sebastian have a brighter future. Thank you.

What is DMD?

DMD is a genetic disorder characterised by progressive muscle degeneration and weakness.

DMD is caused by an absence of dystrophin, a protein that helps keep muscle cells intact. Symptom onset is in early childhood, usually between 3 and 5 years of age. The disease primarily affects boys, but in rare cases it can affect girls.

What are the symptoms of DMD?

Muscle weakness can begin as early as age 3, first affecting the muscles of the hips, pelvic area, thighs and shoulders, and later the skeletal (voluntary) muscles in the arms, legs and trunk. The calves are often enlarged. By the early teens, the heart and respiratory muscles are also affected.

What is the life expectancy with DMD?

Until relatively recently, boys with DMD usually did not survive much beyond their teenage years. Thanks to advances in cardiac and respiratory care, life expectancy is increasing and many young adults with DMD attend college, have careers, get married and have children. Survival into the early 30s is becoming more common, and there are cases of men living into their 40s and 50s.

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