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I am  running the London Marathon on 22nd April 2012 for Coeliac UK.  For those of you who don't know, my six year old daughter Emily is a Coeliac  and was diagnosed  shortly after her third birthday.

Coeliac Disease is an auto immune disorder caused by an intolerance to gluten.  Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye  and barley  which are very much staple items in your every day diet. It is also almost impossible to avoid gluten on a day to day basis and this is why Emily gets her everyday foods such as bread, pizza and pasta from the Chemists.

Before Emily's diagnosis she was very, very poorly.  There is no known cure for this disease and Emily's condition is managed through a very strict and restrictive diet. Coeliac Disease is a life changing condition.  Emily's diagnosis had a major  impact on family life.  Simple things we used to take for granted, such as going to kids parties and eating out in restaurants are now not so easy.  

It was very upsetting for my wife and I when Emily was first diagnosed.   We would obsessively pour over ingredient lists, terrifed we were going to make her ill.  We were too daunted to eat out for a long time for a fear hidden gluten ingredients and cross contamination.  

Coeliac UK were a massive help  in coming to terms with Emily's condition.  Through them we have been able to educate ourselves about Coeliac Disease and how we can manage Emily's diet and cross contamination issues.  They also provided us with invaluable tips for visiting restaurants and going on holiday.  

Coeliac UK also put us in touch with JUVELA, a company that specialises in food for medical conditions.  Again through this company we have been able to try and provide Emily with a fun and varied diet.  

I am running the London Marathon to raise funds for Coeliac UK as a thank you for all  their help and support  over the past three years.  Coeliac UK is a fantastic charity which supports medical  research into this condition and promotes awareness across the food and catering industry.  It is also worth mentioning that Coeliac Disease is often under diagnosed and affects 1 in a 100 people.  

On behalf of Coeliac UK,  and especially on behalf of my little girl Emily,  thank you for your support and sponsorship.  

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