An engineer is running in the Hastings Half-Marathon to raise money for a charity which supports people with a rare disorder.
Leigh Hicks, 26, of De La Warr Road, Bexhill, will be competing in the race on March 21 in aid of the Marfan Association, as his girlfriend's 11-year-old nephew Daniel Jazwiecki has Marfan Syndrome.
The condition affects around 10,000 people in th
e UK and is a variable disorder of the connective tissue that affects many organs such as the skeleton, eyes, heart, lungs and blood vessels.
Mr Hicks, a technical support engineer for Drallim Industries on the Ponswood Industrial Estate in St Leonards, is hoping to complete the half-marathon in under two hours.
His girlfriend Dominika Chmielarz said: "Since leaving the Army in 2008 Leigh has continued to seek new challenges to keep himself active and alert and decided this year to run the Hastings Half-Marathon as it is something he had yet to do.
"When discussing with me which cause to run for, I suggested a charity that supported those with Marfan Syndrome, as this is a disorder my nephew suffers from.
"Leigh is asking for any and all donations towards this cause, large or small, and also to give him a wave if you spot him while on the course."
He can be contacted by email at leighhicks@ymail.com
For more information about Marfan Syndrome log onto www.marfan-association.org.uk
