What: 300 km Charity Cycle from London - Paris

When: 3-6th July 2009

Who: Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation www.jdrf.org.uk

How: With the help of all my friends and family plus the local community, I will be attempting to raise £1,000 in order make this challenge a reality and to help raise money for JDRF to hopefully do our bit to help find the cure for type 1 diabetes!

Mission: To escape saddle wounds (those lucky enough to have received pictures of my bottom last yr will greatly understand!), achieve the most amazing challenge for something i believe in and to help over 350,000 people, like me, across the UK!

My story is simple. The every day struggle that I and the ones around me encounter, unfortunately, is not! I was diagnosed with Type1 diabetes 15 years ago and have since had many battles and struggles to try and lead what most of you would call a "normal" life. My pancreas is no longer a functioning organ in my body and I therefore have to manually inject insulin, the hormone produced by the pancreas, FIVE TIMES A DAY!

Diabetes is an auto-immune condition. My insulin producing cells were attacked and destroyed by the body and therefore insulin needs to be administered manually. No one knows why, no one knows how to stop it! Because of this, people with type 1 diabetes must keep a constant level of sugar in their blood. Never taking in too much and never letting it slip too low...the consequences...life threatening!

To this day I have had approximately 30,000 injections in order to stay alive.

The charity that I am raising for is a very special charity close to my heart. JDRF have played a huge part in many recent developments within the research to not only control diabetes better but to one day find a cure.

Long term complications include disease of the kidneys, eyes, nerves and heart and can also result in amputation if not treated correctly.

Now down to the important part...Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor us. Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you. You don't have to do anything and you certainly don't lose out by ticking for gift aid. It just means that the government gives a little "extra".

So please, sponsor me today. No donation is too small.

Many thanks for your support.

Em xxx