Bob Wilkinson
Running London for JDRF
Fundraising for Breakthrough T1D
Story
Back in 2011 our daughter, aged 11 at the time, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Whilst she has managed this life-changing condition very well with the support of family, friends and the NHS Diabetes team, ultimately, this is a condition that is both physically and mentally wearing.
Around 3 years ago, in my late 40s, I too was diagnosed by Type 1 diabetes (latent auto-immune diabetes in adults) and now, like my daughter, I need daily insulin (via an insulin pump) to stay alive.
The statistics around Type 1 diabetes are quite stark:
- Approximately 400,000 people are currently living with type 1 diabetes in the UK, including around 29,000 children.
- The number of new diagnoses of type 1 diabetes (also known as the incidence) is increasing by about four per cent each year.
- In children under five, the incidence of type 1 diabetes is rising by five per cent each year.
- Among children with diabetes in England and Wales, 96 per cent have type 1 diabetes.
- Around 85 per cent of people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes have no family history of the condition.
- Although it used to be referred to as ‘juvenile diabetes’, around half of newly diagnosed cases of type 1 diabetes are in people over the age of 18.
- The UK has one of the highest rates of type 1 diabetes in the world, for reasons that are currently unknown.
- A person with type 1 diabetes will have around 65,000 injections and measure their blood glucose more than 80,000 times in their lifetime.
The work done by JDRF to allow people to better manage and ultimately, to eliminate Type 1 diabetes is critical to making sure future individuals don't have to go through what both our daughter and me have experienced. They have 3 clear goals around which they coordinate their charitable efforts, namely:
- Drive research to sure, treat and prevent type 1 diabetes
- Accelerate access to type 1 treatment technologies and medicines
- Support people living with type 1 diabetes
Over the coming months, I am asking people to support me with their charitable donations, all of which will go to allowing JDRF to continue their brilliant work. My goals are to train well to a point where I complete the London marathon in under 4 hours and to raise a minimum £2500 for JDRF. I thank you in advance for your support.