As you may or may not be aware, my cousin Joe is autistic. He is now 25 and although physically well, he requires constant care due to his inability to communicate effectively with the world.

Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how a person communicates with, and relates to, other people and the world around them. It is a spectrum condition, which means that, while all people with autism share certain areas of difficulty, their condition will affect them in different ways. There are over half a million people in the UK with autism - that's around 1 in 100. If you include their families, autism touches the lives of over two million people every day.

Having undertaken running as a hobby around 3 years ago, I have so far taken part in a 10k and two half marathons. (I am quickly learning through my training that running two separate half marathons does not in any way equate to running one full one!) However I feel privileged to have been offered a place to run for a such a great charity, and I hope to raise as much money as I can. So please dig deep and donate now!

A bit about The National Autistic Society...

Their Moto: Accept difference. Not indifference.

Their Mission Statement: "We are the leading UK charity for people with autism (including Asperger syndrome) and their families. We provide information, support and pioneering services, and campaign for a better world for people with autism. "

You can read more about Autism and the work of The National Autistic Society at www.autism.org.uk.

I would like to thank you for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving as they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.