On 25th May 2008 I'm running the Edinburgh Marathon, all 26.2 miles of it, for a very special cause.  In May 2007, my friends Nic and Kathy had a beautiful baby daughter Summer Grace.  Summer was born with spina bifida and hydrocephalus.

Despite all her problems (and she's already had a number of major operations) Summer is a fantastic little girl, bringing lots of smiles and giggles to those around her and much happiness to her Mum and Dad.   It is however very unlikely that Summer will ever walk. She will probably need a wheelchair by the time she is about two. (Can you even imagine how you teach a two year old to control a wheelchair?!)

Essential equipment such as wheelchairs will be provided for Summer by the Health Service, but additional equipment won't be.  Life is likely to be a fair bit more expensive for Summer, as she'll need special equipment and may have difficulty accessing many mainstream activities.

I would like to raise some money which can be put towards equipment and activities for Summer. Kathy and Nic would like Summer to have a specially adapted trike to play on and it might be that the money goes towards that. Alternatively, it could be used to enable Summer to experience activities such as horse riding, sailing or adapted sports. Many everyday activities that we take for granted will be difficult for Summer, so these sorts of things will be important for her. Because Summer is so young (she will be one in May), it's hard to be too specific about how the money will be used, as we do not fully know what her needs will be. Nic and Kathy have a savings fund specifically for Summer which is there for any extra things she may need. Any money raised will be put into this account to give Summer access to fun and therapeutic activities and equipment which would not otherwise be available to her.

I originally wanted to run exclusively for Summer, but Kathy and Nic have asked that half the money I raise goes to the Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (ASBAH), and the other half towards activities and equipment for Summer.  ASBAH is the main UK charity offering support to individuals and families affected by spina bifida and hydrocephalus.  They have trained staff who can advise on many specialised aspects of care and will visit families in their homes, or offer telephone advice and support.  Nic and Kathy recognise that they are likely to benefit from the services of this charity in years to come, and would therefore like to support them.

My plan is to split all of my sponsorship between these two causes - ASBAH and Summer.  BUT, only what you give to ASBAH can be gift-aided (as Summer isn't a registered charity).  That means whatever you give to ASBAH can have 28% added if you're a UK taxpayer.  It also means you can't give to Summer through this website (sorry, no way round that).  So, please can you drop me a cheque, email, text or phonecall with your sponsorship for Summer.  If it's easier for you and you want to give me a cheque for the whole lot, I'll split it and make sure that ASBAH get the giftaid.

Sorry this is so complicated, but I really do want to raise money for both these causes.  Summer is a fantastic little girl, and the thoughts of her wheeling round on a trike, or sitting on a horse will really help me finish my marathon.  Please dig deep and help me give this special little girl lots of fun.

Thank you very much for your support.  I'll keep this page updated with my progress. Kath and Nic have a blog with more news, progress and photos of Summer. The address is www.nicandkathy.blogspot.com if you fancy a look.

Natalie

Sat 10th April 2008 - The training's getting tougher, pretty time-consuming and also a tad boring now, but the end is in sight, only 6 weeks to go! I've managed an 18 mile run in just under 3 hours, so am hoping to complete the race in 4 and a half hours, (but maybe that's a bit optimistic). The plan is to do a couple of 20 mile runs before the big day but no more, and then just go for it - those extra 6 miles seem a bit daunting but the theory is that the excitement of the day will get me through. Just got new shoes and new socks which will hopefully help me bounce round too.

Definitely decided this will be my one and only marathon!

Sun 11 April - having sent out circular emails to lots of folk, I'm feeling quite overwhelmed and very humbled by the generosity of all my friends and family. You're all amazing!!

Sat 3 May - Phew, the worst of the training is now over, I've just finished my last long run. Now a wind down for three weeks til the big day. I've managed a couple of 21 mile runs, which is what I hoped for, so now just have to go for it. Currently, my legs barely carry me, my feet hurt all over, and the exhaustion makes me feel really emotional. I shudder to think what state I'll be in after 26!

27th May - well I'm home after the big day, and I did it. The race was tough, but that was to be expected. I had amazing support from various friends and family, who really helped me along. Finished in 4hrs 27mins, and very pleased. Legs feeling tight but no major problems, even managed a 5 minute jog today. At the finish, I promised I'd never do it again, but am already feeling a change of heart ....

Thank you very much to all my sponsors and supporters, lots of love Nat xx