13 years ago, my Son Daniel was born 15 weeks early. He spent months being kept alive in hospital, surviving one traumatic hurdle after another, including operations. Before being allowed to bring him home on oxygen, I had to be trained to resuscitate him, as on top of everything else he was also a ‘blue’ baby. I was then told more devastating news that he was blind.

I had support in the beginning from a charity I had never heard of called VICTA (Visually Impaired Children Taking Action), who helped me in many ways including just every day issues of looking after a blind child as well as help support families of visually impaired children, through grants, equipment and services, along with help socially, emotionally and educationally.
I am hoping to run the London Marathon next year under blindfold with two friends as my guides, to give something back to this charity who helped me, and by running the marathon ‘blind’, I am hoping it will help me to learn more about visual impairment and also for me to be able to run with my Son in the future as a guide myself. Not being a ‘runner’ and having struggled with my asthma over the last 2 years, to be able to achieve this will be a huge challenge in itself!
To run for VICTA in the London Marathon, with a guide, I need to raise £2,500.

So, being on a mission to raise funds…one of many idea’s was just to put out VICTA’s collecting pots, and when asking in my local fish and chip shop if they would be kind enough to display one for me, the owner said he would go one step further to help! Harry and the staff at The Minnis Bay Fish & Chip Shop in Birchington very kindly opened up their restaurant and ‘fed’ 18 people in order that their donations from their meal was put towards my sponsor. The meal that was served up was fantastic, the service was excellent and everyone had a lovely time. We managed to raise £200! I can’t thank them enough for the generosity.

I’m not sure what i’m finding the hardest at the moment…training for running The London Marathon or raising the funds…and having done other ‘blind’ sponsors, I am humbled yet again by the kindness of many people, and more often than not, those who I don’t really know. Thank you so much.