Story
Thanks for taking the time to visit our JustGiving page.
What are we doing?
Myself, Dan McNamara, Ray Humphreys and Terry Gimbert are aiming to run continuously for 24 hours in a relay format. This will mean each participant will run for 6 hours overall. As a team we are aiming to cover a minimum distance of 250km (155 miles approx.) in 24 hours. This is approximately the same distance as London to Cardiff. We are also aiming to raise £1,000 for our chosen charity but obviously the more we can raise the better.
Who are we doing this for?
We are taking on this challenge to raise awareness and most importantly money for 22q11 deletion syndrome. This is personal to us, especially Dan McNamara, whose friend’s daughter Ivy Mitchell is one of many children who suffer from the syndrome. 22q11 deletion syndrome has the ability to affect every system of the body and currently there is no cure. This currently affects around 1 in every 4,000 births. Chromosomes are X-shaped strands of genes, which provide instructions for a person's characteristics. Most people have 23 pairs of chromosomes – one of each pair from their mother, and the other from their father. Each chromosome has a long arm (referred to as 'q') and a short arm ('p'). In 22q11 deletion, a tiny part of the long arm of chromosome 22 is missing (at position 11). Although there is no cure, lots of people suffering from 22q11 deletion live well in to adulthood albeit with frequent visits to hospital for endless tests and operations. Due to these ongoing health problems, life expectancy is lower than the average for people with 22q11 deletion syndrome. We hope that what we are doing will enable Ivy and other children with 22q11 deletion syndrome to have better opportunities in life. For more information please follow http://www.maxappeal.org.uk/Default.asp
Where and when are we doing this?
We will be taking on this challenge at RAF Coningsby starting at midday on Tuesday 8th December and finishing at midday on Wednesday 9th.