Dear friends, with God’s Blessings everything is possible and with every Blessing comes responsibility.

Several years ago not many people were interested in me and today I talk to millions via Save the Children, an organization I am proud to be associated with. With the big Blessing of Marathon World record came even bigger responsibility of giving back and sharingand that is why I am sending you these lines today.

Every year, 8 million children die before their 5th birthday.  As I’ve learned in my own community in Kenya and as we all hear or read almost daily,most of these deaths are caused by illnesses we know how to prevent or treat– illnesses such as diarrhea and pneumonia.

Solutions are simple: We need more medicines, more nurses and midwives and more good food for children facing starvation.

Christian Petersen-Clausen

World Marathon Challenge gives children a chance to show their solidarity with children who face a daily struggle to survive. It is a small step, hopefully, to be followed by a bigger and stronger one and I am using this opportunity to join pleasant noise of thousands of footsteps and voices, to kindly ask all governments, humanitarian organizations, non-governmental sector, business and individuals –Please, let’s all together, from tomorrow (if not even from today!) make sure that the truth is preserved, as no child is born to die.

Good luck to all the children taking part in the World Marathon Challenge for Save the Children on Oct 5th, trying to beat my Marathon record! In my book, that record is already yours…

Yours in running and loving life,

Patrick Makau, Kenya

Marathon World record holder

3rd October 2011