Thanks everyone for your donations so far.  I successfully completed the Rother Valley Super Sprint Triathlon and have decided to set myself a new challenge on 10th July at David Lloyd, Lincoln.  This time it's a sprint triathlon so the distances are longer - 400m swim / 22k bike and 5k run.  Training is going ok so far but am dreading the hill at the top of Burton Road at the beginning of the bike ride!

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes 5 years ago, when I was 31.  I know several people with diabetes and working in a hospital see how it affects people in the long term which is why I am so keen to raise money for this important cause. 

Below are some of the long term complications associated with Diabetes.

People with diabetes have an up to fivefold increased risk of CardioVascular Disease compared with those without diabetes

Diabetic retinopathy  - damage to the retina - a complication that can affect anyone who has diabetes.  Retinopathy is the most common cause of blindness among people of working age in the UK.

Neuropathy (nerve damage) is one of the long-term complications of diabetes which can lead to loss of sensation.

Kidney disease - can happen to anyone but it is much more common in people with diabetes and people with high blood pressure. Kidney disease in diabetes develops very slowly, over many years. It is most common in people who have had the condition for over 20 years. About one in three people with diabetes might go on to develop kidney disease, although, as treatments improve, fewer people are affected.

As well as these, people with diabetes can experience sexual dysfunction problems, stress and depression; and in the short term hypos where blood glucose levels drop too low to provide energy for your body's activities. As well as regular finger prick tests to check blood sugar levels (anything between 2 and 6 a day in my case) and daily insulin injections (again, in my case 4 a day on average).

Hypos can be caused by physical activity, as it causes your blood glucose level to drop if not enough carbohydrates are eaten beforehand.  This is why this triathlon will be such a challenge for me and hopefully I'll get the balance right!

More information can be found at the Diabetes UK website: http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/

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So please donate now if you would like to support this cause.