In April this year, my 2 Year old nephew Stanley had a chest infection which was nothing new for him. They have been recurrent since he was a small baby. However, the infection in April hit him hard, he was rushed to Sheffield children’s hospital into the critical care unit after having already being treated in Scunthorpe’s hospital for a lower respiratory tract infection for several days. He was intubated, sedated and put onto a ventilator to breath for him. Luckily after a week he was brought out of the coma and eventually allowed home with his parents, Bethany and Anthony and little brother Tommy.

Chest infections aren’t Stan's only issues. He was diagnosed with Duplication Syndrome (https://mecp2duplicationuk.org.uk/) at the beginning of the year. This is a severe and progressive neurodevelopmental disorder that has a multitude of symptoms: Hypotonia, delayed developmental milestones, limited language, severe infections, low bone density, gastro reflux, severe or profound intellectual disabilities to name afew. All of these are symptoms Stan has. This is something that isn’t going away and in fact will more than likely become worse the older he gets.

I am miles away from my sister and her partner who are not only trying to raise 2 gorgeous little boys but doing it under a world of worry. Until you are in the position where you have a sick child whose future is unknown its so hard to comprehend the pressure’s you have to face. I can’t be there to physically help her more, so I have decided to do this event not only to raise money but also awareness.

Duplication is a rare disease so any help the charity can get the better. The MECP2 Duplication UK Charity provides emotional, practical and financial support for the families living with the disorder. It also supports research which could potentially lead to treatments that could enhance the lives of those affected.

Myself and 8 colleagues (Eric, H, Jen, John, Leanne, Robbo, Scotty and Yak) are going to do a 216 Super Triathlon for the MECP2 UK Charity. The event will consist of:

216 lengths of a 25m pool

216 miles cycle

216 miles run

The reason I have chosen 216 as the distance is because I am currently serving with 216 (Parachute) Signal Squadron in Colchester. They have allowed me and the team, the time and equipment to help facilitate this event. There is no time limit, but we hope to complete in one day. There are members of the team that can’t swim or have injuries that will prevent them from running or cycling but they are all willing to challenge themselves to do all they can to help and support me achieve this.

All donations will no doubt make a massive impact on the charity, and I will be forever grateful for your support 😊

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

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. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.