I am going to complete 5k a day for a year to raise money for Diabetes Jersey and JDRF to help raise awareness of Type 1 Diabetes.

I am going to start this challenge on National Diabetes Day 14th November 2020 and complete it on the 13th November 2021 (365 runs). I am hoping to raise £1 per km so will be £1825 ideally split between both charities.

My story

On the 16th of March 2016, our son Rhys was taken to hospital and diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, five days before his 3rd Birthday. This was a complete shock to our family and has been a huge learning curve.

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells in the pancreas that make insulin. It is not preventable and its cause is unknown.

Our lives now consist of measuring every thing Rhys eats, carb counting, monitoring blood glucose levels, working out how much insulin to give for each meal, changing pumps and his Dexcom every three to ten days. Whilst it is tough, . Rhys keeps us all going as he continues to have a smile on his face every day and has shown so much resilience, he truly is such an inspirational young boy.

We have been so lucky as we have received new equipment and technology to support Rhys’ diagnosis as and when it has become available. We have moved from finger pricking 20+ times a day, to a Libre which you swipe to check levels to now a Dexcom that syncs with our phones. We have also gone from 10 plus injections a day to now have a Omnipod pump which delivers his insulin, we change this pod every 3 days. These developments have been life changing for Rhys and our family but they also bring with them new anxieties. This wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for all of the work Diabetes Jersey and JDRF do on a daily basis.

Unfortunately not all children and adults with Type 1 Diabetes are offered these opportunities and equipment and more funding would support the charity in reaching more families.

We have been provided with so much support from the Diabetes doctors and Nurses and Diabetes Jersey from day one of Rhys’ diagnosis and can’t thank them enough.

Diabetes Jersey works tirelessly to support people with diabetes, and to raise public awareness of the need for testing.

JDRF UK is the type 1 diabetes charity and a funder of world-class medical research to cure, prevent and treat type 1 diabetes.

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