Hello lovely people,

FirstlyThanks for getting this far.... let me tell you a little about why I am running the marathon, regardless of an injury, I am determined to make it round!

For those that dont know -Alexandra, my sister was diagnosed with Wegeners disease when she was 19 (nearly 5years ago). Wegeners disease is a rare auto-immune disease which causes inflammation and damage to the blood vessels.  This can result in permanent damage to many organs such as eyes, ears, kidneys and respiratory system as well as other major organs.  There is no cure but it can usually be controlled using modern drug therapy.   If untreated it is fatal.

Alexandra was in remission for 2 years and sadly had a relapse in February of last year, meaning the disease is again active in her body, which mainly affects her in the form of severe headaches, as well as permanent damage to her eyes, nose and sinuses. Causing her a discomfort on  a daily basis. Alexandra regularly receives treatment at the wonderful Addenbrooks hospital under the watchful eye of Dr. Jayne.

Over the years Alexandra has been an inspiration to me, never complaining or making any fuss, when at times it must have very daunting. I know, I would have never coped so well! Alexandra has always just got on with things and counted herself lucky not to have symptoms as bad as many other sufferers. With Wegeners you can never take being well for granted. It is life long and flare up's can happen at any time. We can only hope that Alexandra will remain as well as she is now as we love her very much!

I would like to take this opportunity to raise as much money as possible for a rare disease that gets such a small amount of funding (where it is so badly needed)-Vasculitis UK (Stuart Strange Vasculitis Trust) provides information and support for vasculitis sufferers and funds research into the causes of vasculitis and into improved diagnosis and treatment.  The Trust also works to raise awareness of these rare diseases among the public and the medical profession.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – 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.

So please dig deep and donate now.

Thanks soooooooooo much FRANCESCA AND FAMILY  XXXXX