Rich Conway laced up his trainers and ran the London Marathon for #TeamSense because he knows first-hand how the money that he raises can help children with complex disabilities and their families.

“Running my first London Marathon was a daunting choice considering I had not done much long-distance running before. Once I decided to go for it the easiest part was deciding which charity to run for. Ted and Ernie are the start and finish line of my marathon journey.

“Helen and I are the proud parents of Ted and Ernie, two incredible twin brothers. They are the start and finish of my marathon journey.

“When Ted and Ernie were born, we literally and metaphorically had our hands full, as you can imagine. Soon after this, Ernie was diagnosed with Down’s syndrome. Among other symptoms, this affected his vision and his hearing.

“We went to several support groups to help us during this time. At one of the groups, another parent suggested that we talk to Sense. Twelve months later we walked through the door at Sense Family Centre Woodside not knowing what to expect. A short while after, we walked back out feeling part of the Sense family. It was great and we were made to feel so welcome.

“Since then, Sense Family Centre Woodside has been a second home to Ted and Ernie, and while Sense has taught us how we can all connect with each other differently, Ted has been Ernie’s best teacher. Ted has always been the first to achieve milestones, with Ernie always close behind. They have a great relationship together at home and at school where they are in the same class.

“There were plenty of times when I wanted to miss a training session but couldn’t for two main reasons. First, because of the many people that had supported me and donated their hard-earned money. Secondly, because of Ted and Ernie. In my head and my heart, they were there for me from start to finish, cheering me on when I hit every wall.

“When it came to Event Day, I knew I was ready. The nerves were there but knowing I had my family waiting at the other end pulled me through. The support I received from the Sense Events Team was fantastic. It really kept me going throughout my marathon journey and everyone was wonderfully loud on the day.

To all the people thinking about running for Sense, I will say only this – every mile, metre or step you make to that Finish Line has a profound effect on families like mine. Your marathon journey really does matter and Sense will be cheering you on every step of the way!

Join Team Sense and commit to raising £1,700. You can expect a bespoke training plan, two training days, online Q&As, a giant post-race party with a free massage, hot food and drink and much more. We can’t wait to welcome you to the team!

To find out more and join Team Sense, click here.