After being lucky enough to get a ballot place in the 2019 London Marathon, I have decided to run for the charity Diabetes U.K. I am doing this to raise money and awareness about the disease, but most importantly for people to know about the serious complications that can come with having diabetes affecting their lives, which has recently happened to my Step Dad.  

There are over 4 million people living with diabetes in the U.K. of which 10 per cent are Type 1. My Step Dad is one of these people and was diagnosed at the age of 10. There are also people who have Type 2 diabetes however they may see this coming and can usually control it and even reverse it with diet and exercise alone. With Type 1 there is no cure and the cause is unknown. As a Type 1 diabetic, you are unable to produce insulin naturally and therefore you need to inject synthetic insulin numerous times a day to stay alive and overtime which can lead to some serious complications. 

My Step Dad has always led an active life with a love of long distance walking, cycling and playing tennis with my Mum and has always been careful to control his diabetes. Unfortunately just over a year ago a tiny scratch on a toe just didn’t heal. Despite much treatment over many months, a year on he has lost a significant amount of one foot. Both Mum and Step Dad’s plans to walk long distance pathways are on hold and the affect and strain on their mental health is immense as they struggle to come to terms with the impact on their lives.

I am now training for the 26.2 miles that I will run on 28 April 2019 to raise money for Diabetes U.K. The work they do helps to understand the causes of diabetes, bring about life-changing breakthroughs in care, treatment and prevention to bring us closer to a cure for diabetes. I also want to raise the awareness amongst my friends and family about the difference in the two types of diabetes and the serious complications that can occur.  

There is more research needed into the causes and potential cures of this disease along with a better support network for the associated mental and physical trauma that affect both sufferer and their family. 

Thank you for your support. 

Claire x