Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. In the time that you take to read this message, at least one woman will have died as a result of her preganancy and labour. Almost all of these deaths are preventable. Many more women suffer debilitating and persistant illness as the result of treatable complications of labour. If a woman dies or suffers a serious illness as a consequence of her pregnancy, her newborn child is perhaps ten times as likely to die within the first month of life. Most of us see pregnancy as a time of joy and of hope. For millions of women in the world, it is anything but that.

The RCOG Smile Appeal raises money to fund direct and practical programmes. It is dedicated to helping achieve Millennium Development Goal Number 5 which aims to reduce maternal mortality by 75% by 2015. The appeal does not send money, it sends doctors, midwifes and equipment to provide training, education and, where needed, hands-on expertise. This approach has had direct, measurable and dramatic benefits in some of the most deprived regions of the world.

This is a charity and a cause which means a great deal to me. I would hugely appreciate whatever support that you feel you can offer. Entering the marathon seemed like a good idea at the time. If I can raise a decent sum for the Smile Appeal, it will still seem like a good idea.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.