Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. I am absolutely delighted I got a place on 'Team Diabetes UK' for the Virgin London Marathon 2014. To be given this opportunity means the world to me so every donation is greatly appreciated. 

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

People always ask me, why run for Diabetes UK. The answer to that is simple. Although I don't suffer from Diabetes my sister however does. Diabetes UK is a charity very close to my heart as my sister has suffered with Type 1 diabetes since the age of 5. She is now 37.  For Julie, to be diagnosed with diabetes at such a young age, had a huge impact on her childhood and on our daily family life.  Julie has been insulin dependent since her diagnosis, and has had to cope with injecting herself up to 4 times a day. In her younger years she found her diabetes really hard to keep under control and from the stories my family have shared with me, I don’t want to see other kids going through the same as what my sister went through. She never has any days off from her condition, she constantly has to manage and monitor it and especially on Christmas Day when she was young, it was extremely difficult for her and my mum!  However, her diabetes is more manageable now as improvement in treatment and support has improved over the last 20 years. I know this is partly down to the fantastic work that Diabetes UK has done in funding millions of pounds of research into the condition and treatment. I read a quote on the Diabetes UK website which was “Although diabetes cannot yet be cured it can be managed very successfully. This is likely to involve lifestyle changes that will have enormous health benefits and allow a person to continue their normal day-to-day life.” And this statement is so true.  Diabetes doesn’t stop your life, you just have to live it in a different way by managing your condition.  

 

By taking part in events across the country it will allow me to raise awareness of the condition itself, but also the brilliant work which the charity does on behalf of people living with diabetes and their families. I really hope by raising awareness of diabetes that one day someone will read or hear about my story, and this will in turn inspire them too! 

In 2012 I completed the Belfast City Marathon and the Lisburn Half Marathon for Diabetes UK raising a huge £4,339.53. In 2013 I have already completed the Belfast City Half Marathon and the Armagh 10 mile road race for Diabetes UK.

 

My goal is now to complete the London Marathon 2014 and then conquer the Belfast Marathon 2014, just three weeks later! 

 

Bring it on...