I am running the London Marathon on behalf of Sparks a charity I stumbled upon a few years ago.

They fund pioneering research into ill children. Research which would not exist if left to virtually non existent government funding.

Giving hope to families all over the UK.

HOPE being all some families have.

Since 1991, they have funded 300 ground breaking child health  research projects.

They have made huge changes to peoples lives with higher survival rates and quality of life for the children.

I ran a 10 k race 5 years ago for Sparks just because I felt an obligation to help families that not only have the day to day stresses of life that I may have but also have the 24hr care to be undertaken, and unfortunately for some children their future is never certain.

Sparks has given hope and seen huge results.

One of my close friends had a baby in 2016 in Southend hospital who was born with starved oxygen to the brain. The cooling treatment founded by Sparks was used as the medical intervention. Called Brain Hypothermia it cools the brain to around 33 degrees celsius which improves the infants chances of survival and reduces their disability.

In 2017 Sparks partnered with Great Ormond Street, merging their national research.

I have always wanted to run a marathon, the training behind being about to achieve a 26.2 mile race is sheer hard work and determination. Ive been out in rain, sleet and high winds recently. 

I've even been dragging my husband and children out on their bikes to keep me entertained. Although I"m not finding it easy, it's never far from my mind the evening I had at Great Ormond street, hearing the day to day struggles people are having to endure.

Before taking this challenge on, I had only ever run a maximum of 10k….. a measly 6.2 miles…EVER!!!!!!!

On Saturday I managed to run 13.5 miles… Where am I going to find another 13 miles I thought to myself !!

Please Please donate generously, it's such an amazing charity and I'm very proud to have been chosen to run for them…

I will be over the next 9 weeks trying to find another 13 miles from somewhere!!!

Every donation counts and I will be thinking of each and everyone of you on my training runs and  on race day...

Chantal xx