Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving! 

I am taking part in the great north run to raise money for diabetes Uk. I was diagnosed with type 1 at the age of 12. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease which attacks the pancreas’ insulin producing cells meaning my body does not control its own blood sugars- so I have to inject insulin and count every carb that goes in to my body 💉 There has always been a big stigma surrounding type 1 diabetes where people think an unhealthy lifestyle and being overweight is the cause. This is however far from the truth as type 1 is caused by the immune system attacking the beta cells in the pancreas for an unknown reason. When left untreated symptoms include excessive thirst, excessive urination, rapid unexplained weight loss and being very hungry. This is when the body is in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), with me I was hospitalised for 3 weeks upon diagnosis in 2016. When T1D is treated effectively we CAN eat a normal diet and live a normal life! 

By doing the great north run I hope to raise awareness around T1D and end the negative stereotype surrounding diabetes and that we can live normal lives despite it. Donating to Diabetes UK will enable more funding to be done to cure this horrible disease.