I can’t believe I am saying this… but I have been lucky enough to get a place on the DIABETES UK team for the LONDON MARATHON. Yes, that’s right… I will be somehow be dragging myself round 26.2 miles on Sunday 22 April 2018 for my first marathon.

Why the hell am I doing this, you may wonder? Well, I’ve always wanted to run the London marathon the year I turned 30 (ahem, selfish reason), and I will now be running for a charity that means a lot to me; Diabetes UK (less selfish reason).

Some of you may or may not know that my brother Jonathan has Type 1 diabetes (that's him in the pic with me), which he got when he was just 10 years old. I’ve grown up watching how it has affected him (and also how he’s managed it incredibly) through the years especially through key milestones including playing semi-professional rugby, going to university (and starting to booze!), travelling around the world, and now living in Dubai. 

What is Type 1 diabetes? It's a serious, lifelong condition where your blood sugar (or 'blood glucose') level is uncontrollable because your body can't produce the hormone insulin. Around 10% of all diabetics living in the UK have type 1 diabetes. 

How do you help control Type 1 diabetes? Everyone with Type 1 diabetes and some people with Type 2 diabetes need to take insulin – either by injection or a pump – to control their blood sugar levels. My brother injects insulin over 5 times a day to suit his active lifestyle. 

And finally, the shocking stats: Diabetes is the fastest growing health threat of our times and an urgent public health issue. An astonishing 3.5 million people have been diagnosed with diabetes (Type 1 and Type 2) in the UK - this has more than doubled since 1996. If this continues, more than 5 million people will be diagnosed with diabetes by 2025. 

Diabetes affects more people in the UK than dementia and cancer combined. 

Thank you so much for any pennies you can spare to support Diabetes UK to fund essential research projects that promise to improve the lives of people with diabetes (especially in light of the recent NHS cuts), as well care for diabetics to prevent extreme side-effect complications such as heart disease, stroke, amputation and blindness.

For more information about Diabetes UK and the fantastic work they do, you can head to: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/

THANK YOU FOR READING/DONATING/SUPPORTING. 

Much love, 
Ashley x