Take 2!!!

On 23rd April 2023*, we'll be attempting to run our first ever marathon in London!

Having planned to run in October, we both failed to make the start line with injuries. This time Will’s back stronger and ready to race, however, Helen is injury prone and sprained her MCL with 4 weeks to go. If you see her walking, it‘s part of her strategy, though please shout at her nonetheless!

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For anyone unaware, Will was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes just before his 19th birthday. Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease that stops the pancreas from producing any insulin, the hormone that controls your blood glucose levels. It's not genetic, it's not due to bad lifestyle, it just happens and no-one quite knows why. But the implication is that you are fully dependent on using artificial insulin to regulate your blood sugars, injecting doses of insulin several times a day to match your intake of carbohydrates, and constantly checking your blood sugars each hour to ensure they stay in a target range.

We are running the London Marathon to raise money for JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). The work JDRF do is phenomenal, and truly life changing. The combination of support, research and treatment continues to move the dial in T1 diabetes, and something that Will has benefited immensely from. We know that JDRF will continue to make enormous impact in the future with their contributions to diabetes, hopefully one day with a cure - which will be life changing for millions.

We'd be incredibly grateful and appreciative of any donation you're willing to make, however big or small. The money is going to a great cause.

If you have any questions or would like to know more, please don't hesitate to let us know! Some links below…

Thank you!

Will & Helen

1. JDRF Homepage: https://jdrf.org.uk/

2. What is the difference between Type 1 & Type 2: https://jdrf.org.uk/information-support/about-type-1-diabetes/what-is-the-difference-between-type-1-and-type-2-diabetes/

3. Cure research in the UK: https://jdrf.org.uk/our-research/current-research/?proyect_type_cat=cure#postFilter

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A bit from Helen:

When I first met Will, I had no idea about type 1 diabetes, so it was a bit of a learning curve for me to understand what it was, how it was managed, and how challenging it can be. Living alongside a diabetic, I see on a daily basis the burden of managing type 1 diabetes: the constant need to be aware of your sugars, calculating how much carbohydrate is in every single meal you eat, worrying about what effect a long walk (or run!) will have on them, wondering whether you’ve injected too much or too little, dealing with unexpected highs or lows (sometimes in the middle of the night!), having to change your pump site at inconvenient times and locations…there are no days off as a type 1 diabetic.

However, I have also been able to witness the amazing technological advancements and new treatments that are constantly being developed. For example, Will now being able to use a “closed loop” pump that is synced to his blood monitor and automatically adjusts insulin up or down depending on which way his sugars are trending, which has led to far less midnight wake-up calls for both of us, and made controlling his sugars much simpler.

JDRF work to make everyday life easier to manage for people like Will. And hopefully one day, we will get to a point where Will and thousands of other type 1 diabetics no longer need to rely on a pump for their insulin. I know that JDRF has helped change many lives already, including Will’s, and will continue to do so for generations to come. It’s a cause very close to my heart and I hope you can support us.

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A bit from Will:

When I was first diagnosed with diabetes my life essentially changed overnight, and managing diabetes has been a journey ever since. In my 10+ years of managing diabetes to date, they key things I've learnt are:

• Nothing is predictable. The list of things that impact blood glucose levels is endless: types of food, how much sleep you've had, how much exercise you're doing, how much alcohol you’ve drunk, what time you woke up, how stressed you are, what the weather is like…the list goes on….

• It's challenging, draining, and incredibly frustrating. The impact of high or low blood sugars really takes it out of you, especially when you don’t expect them.

• I’m lucky that I’m good at maths. Looking at a plate of food is not just a plate of food, but a series of numbers, thoughts, and calculations - but you can never be 100% certain how it’s going to play out

• It’s both an art and a science. The theory is great, but until you've lived with diabetes you'll never truly understand what managing it is like. The body reacts to things in strange ways that means you can always expect the unexpected

All that being said, the modern day treatment for T1 diabetes is fantastic, and continues to improve at a rapid rate. Whilst there is not yet a cure, the developments made using new technologies like continuous blood monitors and insulin pumps allow me and others alike to live with the same flexibility in lifestyle as someone without diabetes. I've experienced first hand the rapid developments in technology, treatments and guidance that have transformed the management of type 1 diabetes in the last decade, from when I first started using insulin pens and pricking my finger to test my blood. Despite continuing to living a busy & active lifestyle, managing my diabetes has never been easier. The work JDRF do is life-changing and is the backbone of T1 research and support for others like myself. Any donations you’re able to make will make a huge difference in future, hopefully to one day find a cure.