A Chigwell mum, whose son has epilepsy, is preparing to lace up her running shoes to complete this year’s Virgin London Marathon. Melanie Rinaldi will attempt the challenging 26.2 mile run on Sunday 17 April to raise vital funds for national charity Epilepsy Action. The charity provides advice and support to the 456,000 people with epilepsy in the UK.
Melanie, 35, is taking part in the event to say thank you to Epilepsy Action. The charity gave support to Melanie and her family when her son, Kristian, who will be two in April, was diagnosed with epilepsy.
Melanie said: “My son was diagnosed with epilepsy at seven months. Epilepsy Action really helped to keep me sane with help and advice during this difficult time. I want to do this to say thank you. This will be the furthest I have ever run so it’s a real challenge.”
Melanie hopes to raise £3,500 for Epilepsy Action. To show your support for Melanie and Epilepsy Action, visit www.justgiving.com/Melanie-Rinaldi The money raised by Melanie will help fund the vital advice and information services provided by the charity.
For more information about taking part in fundraising events for Epilepsy Action, visit www.epilepsy.org.uk/involved
Epilepsy affects one in every 131 people in the UK alone and 75 people are diagnosed with the condition every day. Last year Epilepsy Action directly helped over 845,000 people through a range of services, including its Epilepsy Helpline freephone 0808 800 5050, branch network, specialist nurse scheme and award-winning website, www.epilepsy.org.uk