Noel's Marathon Effort for Saplings

Autism Parenting could be described as a bit of a marathon; Difficult at first, you need to train very hard, build up your stamina and learn the right technique, but once you find your rhythm - it does get easier over time.

Having said that - your kids will need intensive help from people outside of your immediate family, and that's where the sprints come in. Teachers, Therapists, Tutors and even the extended family can dash in, give you a break, make a few quality observations and implement a few changes, then dash back out again for a rest before (hopefully) coming back to relieve you.

But you are the one on the long road, the one who has the stamina to go up and down hill, pacing yourself when necessary and, when everyone else has hit the wall.. finding the extra spurt to get you past the line. Before starting it all over again the next day. And the next day, And the next.

The 32 Marathons will pay tribute to that monumental effort when Gerry Duffy and Ken Whitelaw, inspired by their long term friendship with Irish Autism and their member groups,
will run 32 marathons in 32 consecutive days in the 32 counties of Ireland to raise money for charity.

They will be joined each day, along the way by the many friends and supporters of Irish Autism and their Families, all doing a marathon each to raise funds for local groups and schools.

Noel Reidy's leg of the 32 Marathon Challenge is in Dublin on July 3rd and he is running it for Ciaomh Connelly a pupil here at the Saplings School in Rathfarnham, Co Dublin.

Ciaomh's parents Dara and Adrienne have seen phenomenal changes in Caoimh since he came to Saplings in 2008. They say: "He is trying to speak, he is learning to integrate in a normal environment, and, best of all, he is not terrified of the world around him all the time"

Like all our schools, Saplings constantly have to raise funds to keep going, since it is only partly funded by government, but it's a small price to pay for the positive returns they get.

I hope you can help make Noel's Marathon effort worthwhile, and support families like Ciaomh in their daily marathon - which is made so much easier when they have a school like Saplings, helping them each day, every month of the year.

Every single cent donated will support the ongoing essential work of Saplings Rathfarnham. Please go here to Noel's Mycharity link page to donate whatever you can.

or paste: http://www.mycharity.ie/event/noel_reidys_event/ into your browser.

With thanks to Noel from everyone at Saplings School. xx