Tom is taking part in the Blenheim Triathlon, which is going ahead next weekend, against all odds, to raise money for the JDRF, a wonderful charity which has helped my family and hundreds of thousands of others affected by Type 1. It is Tom's first ever Triathlon. 

Our son, Jimmy, was diagnosed with Type 1 at four years old. Since the day of his diagnosis, he has had to manage his blood sugar levels 24/7. In his first year of school, he had to learn how to do finger prick blood tests, performed up to a dozen times a day, in order to find out his blood glucose levels. He also had to learn to handle needles and inject himself with insulin every time he ate any food - even just an apple - and every time his blood sugars went high. Conversely, if his blood sugars went too low, he had to give himself glucose. Type 1 diabetics often don't realise they are going low, and teachers and other children soon learnt to recognise the signs of a 'hypo': pallor, disorientation and sleepiness. Sometimes Jimmy would simply fall over and be found on the ground. We've had countless scares. Once, we had to call an ambulance at 3am as Jimmy was having a seizure in bed and we couldn't bring him round. 

These days, partly thanks to the JDRF, the technology is much, much better. Insulin is delivered via a pump attached to his body and Jimmy can monitor his glucose levels continuously on his phone. However, he still has to be extremely vigilant, and he still needs to manually administer insulin and work out how many grammes of carbohydrate is in his food every time he eats. He has to wake at night to check his blood sugar levels and remember to take - and never, ever lose - his kit everywhere he goes; for a walk, to the shops, on his bike. There is no respite. He has to be very careful about what he eats and when. This is exceptionally challenging for a child. He hasn't been able to go on sleepovers, summer camps or on holidays with friends. Even spending a few hours in town is a big deal. He has never travelled alone on public transport. Going for a swim on his own is unthinkable. 

Any improvements to technology will help Jim to manage his blood sugars. In turn, this should help him to avoid potentially dangerous lows (or hypos) and highs which, in the long run, are highly damaging to his health, raising the risk of, amongst other things, blindness, stroke, CVD and amputations. The holy grail is a cure, and the JDRF has made this its mission. 

We are hugely grateful for your support. Any donation, however small, will go towards making the life of Jimmy, and the lives of children like him, easier. Hopefully one day, the work of JDRF and others will relieve them of the burden of managing their condition altogether. 

With heartfelt thanks, Tom, Emily and Jimmy