Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I am running the Reading half marathon and have decided to raise funds for Carys, the daughter of my school friend, Bonny and James Westgate, who was diagnosed a year ago with Rett Syndrome.

Rett Syndrome is a debilitating disorder which most often strikes previously healthy little girls just after they have learned to walk and say a few words and begins to drag their development backwards.

As the cascade of Rett symptoms descends, girls lose acquired skills, normal movement and speech. Girls are left unable to communicate or use their hands to hold, carry or manipulate objects.

Over time, girls who have learned to walk often lose their ability as well. Loss of motor control sets in, essentially locking these girls into bodies that won't work, leaving them without the ability to make purposeful movements.

At present, there is no cure for Rett Syndrome, and parents who discover that their daughters have this condition have no real treatment options.

So please dig deep and support this worthy cause.