I am running the London Royal Parks Half Marathon 2024 for Diabetes UK 💙💪🏻

As some of you will know, in April 2023 I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. I had been feeling tired, losing alot of weight and just not myself for months, however, didn't think much of it putting it down to uni life and needing to take a bit more care of myself! Coming home for Easter, I continued feeling worse ending up in A&E and them breaking the news to me I have Type 1 diabetes and was seriously ill in DKA. The horrible reality of this is that had I not gone to A&E I would not be here. I think diabetes is a condition people don't fully understand. It is a life changing and life threatening condition we have to live with. I want to raise the profile of Type 1 Diabetes and show it does not need to rule your life. I will need to train hard for this half marathon having never done one before.

The exact causes for Type 1 Diabetes are still not fully known. Family history can put you at an increased risk with viruses also playing a role in the trigger for the disease. As a response the body may destroy inuslin producing cells. Insulin is then no longer produced to regulate blood glucose levels naturally.

Diabetes is relentless. Everyday we make life saving decisions, injections and calculations as well as constant worries about potential complications. However, you can still live a completely normal life and do normal things, just with a little extra thought.

I'm running this half marathon to raise awareness for this life changing disease and prove that the condition, which has so many stereotypes and misconceptions, never has to be the reason we can't do anything.

As many as 4.8 million people are living with diabetes in the UK right now, with someone diagnosed every 2 minutes. So, I'm running towards a healthier me, and a better future for people living with diabetes.

I would be so grateful for any donation to help raise awarness and work towards a world with a cure for diabetes. 💙