Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

My dad, Mike, was diagnosed with Chronic Obsructive Pulmonary Disease in 2003. Sadly, he lost his battle with this illness in December 2009 at the age of 53.

Although it is very treatable in most cases, COPD cannot be cured and therefore I have opted to raise money for the charity Gloucestershire Young Carers, who offer support to local carers under the age of 25.

I was 23 when Dad was diagnosed but was not aware of the charity, so I never got the opportunity to get their help. I hope the money Mike, Arwen and I raise will enable the charity to continue their important work so other young carers and the people they care for will get the assistance they need.

I'm expecting the circular challenge to be quite tough. Taking care of Dad took priority over exercise and I don't think I made it to the gym once during 2009! I'll be carrying Dad's medals from the running he did when he was my age for inspiration on the day.

Prior to his diagnosis, he was very active and loved rock climbing, cycling and running. We used to have regular day trips to London and would walk around the city from sunrise to sunset before getting the late coach home.

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.