Thank you for visiting my fundraising page.

I know there are many requests for sponsorship - and so many people have been so generous previously - but once again I am asking you to dig deep: firstly for Mencap, and secondly to help me drag myself round the 26.2 miles of the London Marathon - again!

Many of you already know why a charity such as Mencap, which helps people with mental and physical handicaps, is close to my heart, and have shown your kind support before.  For those who have not seen it before, set out further down is my family's story, and why supporting charities such as Mencap is so important to me.

Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure.  Mencap will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.

Many thanks for your support.

Linda

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My eldest sister Jenny has Rett Syndrome. 

As a baby she appeared to be developing more slowly in learning to walk and talk than other babies.  At the time no one had heard of Retts and my parents spent many years frustrated with doctors seeing them as overambitious parents.  Whilst she made slow progress she started to regress slightly and for the remainder of her life has had to communicate as a baby does - through nothing but smiles or crying.  She is a wonderfully cheerful individual though and derives great pleasure from those around her who care for her.

Rett Syndrome is a complex neurological disorder. It affects mainly girls. Although present at birth, it becomes more evident during the second year.  It could occur in any family at any time.  Something goes wrong with the genetic makeup of the cells which become the baby.  People with Rett Syndrome are profoundly and multiply disabled and highly dependent on others for their needs throughout their lives.

At least one in every 10,000 females born has Rett Syndrome. A few boys also have the condition. It is believed to be the second most common cause of severe and profound learning disability in girls.

Rett Syndrome is relatively newly known (discovered only in 1966).  However through the great support of many passionate individuals, and the generosity of many donors, research has enabled parents and families to learn a lot more.  For example nearly a year ago there was a breakthrough discovery where they artificially deactivited the gene in mice and on reactivitation the mice made an almost 100% recovery.  However they are still a long way from being able to reactivitate the gene in people with Retts, but it's a start.

Anything we can do now is unlikely to change things for my sister, but your kind donations can help many people with Retts, and their families, in both understanding the condition, and offering them the best quality of life possible.