Diabetes is not selective. It can show up at your door one day, make itself at home and decide to stay. It will not care about your age, your gender or lifestyle. People with little to no family background of immune disease can get it. Athletes, actors, grandparents, teenagers, and newborns can get it. This is why it is important to fight for those without a voice, especially children.

Our whole family has been extremely affected by juvenile diabetes, as my youngest daughter Calley was diagnosed when she was just 7 years old. Overnight, we were thrown into the role of dieticians, counting carbohydrates for every meal and snacks, and nurses, when we would give Calley her insulin injections. My wife (Kim) single handedly overhauled our diets and found healthy substitutes so that the entire family was helping Calley manage her blood sugar levels. We are the parents who tirelessly fight for our children with diabetes, driven by an unexplainable mixture of resilience and naivete, hoping for the best while thinking we have no idea what we’re doing.

But this is a good news story. My daughter Calley quickly learned how to calculate her insulin and even give her own injections, which was so impressive for such a young age. Calley completely turned her diagnosis of juvenile diabetes into a strength by never letting it limit her, no matter how she was feeling. She has connected with many other type 1 diabetics and supports so many others with chronic illness. She truly understands how to furnish support for others who are struggling and changing their mentality into a positive one. My wife and I are constantly in awe of her amazing qualities and the strength that she shows every single day. Be proud of who you are; you are awesome, amazing and make a difference!

Even though I have run many Marathons and Half-Marathons over the years, I am so happy that I will be able to run the 2023 London Marathon with my daughter Caitlin! It will be such an honor for the both of us to run this marathon for Calley, and the thousands all over the world with juvenile diabetes. Let's do this!