Thanks for taking the time to visit our JustGiving page. Ben and Matt have been friends since University and, along with Matt's sister Katie, will be taking part in the Blenheim Palace triathlon on 2nd June.

We are doing this in support of Thinking of Oscar, which was set up by Hannah and David Cole, friends of Ben's who set up the charity in memory of their son Oscar who died suddenly on June 19th 2014 aged 16 months. Thinking of Oscar (https://thinkingofoscar.com/) supports children and their families whilst in hospital care by funding projects and innovation over and above that supplied by the NHS. Please dig deep and help us raise money for this amazing charity!

Matt and Katie are then taking part in their first ever half-Ironman at Cholmondeley Castle on 23rd June. This is a big step up in distance for both of them, and they have been putting the hours in training in all weathers to get ready!

Ben is also then taking part in the final leg of TOO500, a 5-day cycle ride covering 100 miles each day and visiting each of the children's hospitals that Thinking of Oscar support and work with. The final leg is on Father's Day on 16th June, and will take us from the Olympic park in London, via Great Ormond Street Hospital and finishing at Blenheim Palace.

The idea for TOO500 was born out of the realisation that child health lacks both funding and focus on a global scale. Accordingly, the purpose of #too500 is not only to raise much needed funds in order to invest in innovative projects, but also to raise awareness of the need for improved focus and funding within child health and the benefits that this will then provide not only on the child and their families but for the hospitals and society as a whole.

What will my money be spent on?

Here’s a brief description about some of the projects we are currently evaluating to give you a flavour of how you could be helping children and their families by donating to Thinking of Oscar:

* Super Hero packs for children who need intravenous drugs. So that they feel that this treatment is their superpower. Comes complete with shield for over the cannula and a super hero cape - c. £35

* Training programmes and simulations to help staff responding to continue to think strategically and clearly in high pressure situations. Technology and programmes to enable earlier detection of specific conditions. c. £2,000

* Additional Vein Finders for Paediatric Units across the country - c. £3,500

* An interactive floor projector to entertain, distract and de-stress children in the hospital environment. They can play a game of virtual football, kick virtual leaves to reveal an image underneath and play individually and together - c. £8,000.

* An app to give children an idea of what to expect when they come into hospital, provide simple explanations of some conditions and procedures, remind them of anything relevant once they have been discharged. It could also bridge communication between parents and the hospital, facilitating a better overall understanding of the child and their condition - c. £10,000