On 23rd April I will be running the London Marathon in aid of the National Autistic Society. As many of you know, our eldest son Louis (now nearly 8) was diagnosed with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder when he was 3. Obviously he's gorgeous, brilliantly unintentionally funny (sample question - "daddy, what's your favourite sake - for goodness sake, for god's sake or for f&ck sake?") with the most incredible memory and above all is just so incredibly brave in the way he determinedly faces challenges and situations which frequently terrify him to his core.

Having an autistic child is an incredible challenge - of course extremely rewarding at times, but just as often frustrating, tiring, worrying and stressful. And for the child themselves you can only try and imagine how scary it is to live in a world that you just don't understand. But in one sense Louis is lucky - he was born in to a family that unconditionally adore him and are fortunate enough to have the resources and determination to ensure he gets access to the best possible support and interventions, which in turn gives him the best possible chance of leading an independent and fulfilling life.

Not every autistic child is so fortunate. Although things have improved massively over the last 25 years as our understanding of the condition and its implications has developed, there are still far too many children and parents who fall through the net and fail to get the support they desperately need - sometimes with tragic consequences. The National Autistic Society is there to try and make sure no-one falls through that net by providing expert support, services and advice for all stages of autism, right from initial diagnosis (I'll never forget the moment I went through their checklist for signs of autism in toddlers and realised Louis ticked virtually every one) through childhood and in to adulthood.

So please help me support those children like Louis, and give them that chance to be what we all ultimately want for our children - to be the best they can be...

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