Now that the ballot for places in this year's Flora London Marathon (Sunday, April 18, 2004) has closed, the Arthritis Research Campaign is urging runners who have been lucky enough to get a place to run to help cure arthritis.

More than seven million adults in the UK (15 per cent of the population) suffer from long-term health problems due to arthritis-related illnesses.

People often think of arthritis as an elderly person's disease, but this is not strictly true.

Anyone can get arthritis in any of its forms at any age. And around 12,000 children in the UK suffer from juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

The Arthritis Research Campaign, the largest arthritis specific charity and the fourth largest medical charity in the UK, is committed to curing arthritis, a disease that may not always kill people, but can seriously affect their quality of life, and subjects them to years of pain.

To many, arthritis is a living hell.

I'm sure that there is someone close to you who has arthritis a friend, workmate or member of your family.

So why not run for those who can't.

We would like to hear from those who have obtained a place through the ballot system and want to run for the Arthritis Research Campaign.

Please contact me on (01329) 822546 or email me on j.mason@arc.org.uk

J Mason ,

Area Appeals Manager,

Arthritis Research Campaign,

Wych Lane,

Gosport,

Hampshire