Paul Coker
Paul's JDRF Climb Kilimanjaro page
Fundraising for JDRF
Story
It will be Diabetes week in the UK from the 8-14 June and the spirit of this years event is "I Can" - where those of us with diabetes share the things that we can do in spite of the fact that living with diabetes is an uphill battle. On the 14 June, to mark the end of diabetes week, I will be joining 18 others with type 1 diabetes and together we are going to climb Kilimanjaro, the highest freestanding mountain in the World, which is also the highest mountain in Africa at a staggering 5885 metres (19,341 feet).
Why?
Type 1 diabetes is a devastating condition, there is no cure, no prevention and treatment is about managing the symptoms rather than addressing the cause. Unfortunately type 1 diabetes is a life long condition, which is most commonly diagnosed in children and young adults and can lead to a wide variety of health complications.
19 people who have type 1 diabetes will be attempting to summit Kilimanjaro, like me they were all struck with this condition suddenly. It did not happen because they were overweight, it did not happen because they ate too many sweets and it did not happen because they did not do enough exercise. I was just 5 years old when my own immune system turned upon the special cells in my pancreas which make insulin and destroyed them. Every day since I have needed insulin just to stay alive, injecting unto 10 times each day for the first 29 years and for the last 8 years I have been using an insulin pump which is connected to me 24x7. Giving the right amount of insulin at the right time is challenging and means that in addition to injecting insulin I also need to do many blood tests each do so that I can calculate how much insulin to I must have.
I have been diabetic for 37 years now and I have had fantastic support, incredible opportunities and I want others who are just starting their journey with type 1 diabetes to understand that they can still achieve their dreams, goals and ambitions. I also want to raise money for a charity which is working on research to cure type 1 diabetes not just because I have a vested interest in finding the cure, but because I want the children and young adults who are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes today to live in the hope that they will benefit from a cure.
Whilst living with type 1 diabetes can feel like an uphill battle, together this amazing team will demonstrate that the determination that you need to beat diabetes every single minute of every single day will help us to achieve the summit.
With your help I believe that we can cure type 1 diabetes, it is just a question of time and money, and I know that JDRF are doing some amazing research work all over the world to make sure that this happens but they need our help to continue with this ground breaking work. I have been informed that in the last 5 years we have made more progress on finding a cure than in the previous 20 years! Please donate to my fund raising campaign so that together we can continue this essential work to cure type 1 diabetes.
Everybody on this trip has already paid for the full cost of the trip personally and therefore your contribution, no matter how large or small, will go directly to the essential research to cure type 1 diabetes and preventing many of the long term complications that people with type 1 diabetes typically suffer from. So please go ahead and make a donation now, I would really appreciate your support and I thank you for taking the time and effort to read a little of my story.
Why?
Type 1 diabetes is a devastating condition, there is no cure, no prevention and treatment is about managing the symptoms rather than addressing the cause. Unfortunately type 1 diabetes is a life long condition, which is most commonly diagnosed in children and young adults and can lead to a wide variety of health complications.
19 people who have type 1 diabetes will be attempting to summit Kilimanjaro, like me they were all struck with this condition suddenly. It did not happen because they were overweight, it did not happen because they ate too many sweets and it did not happen because they did not do enough exercise. I was just 5 years old when my own immune system turned upon the special cells in my pancreas which make insulin and destroyed them. Every day since I have needed insulin just to stay alive, injecting unto 10 times each day for the first 29 years and for the last 8 years I have been using an insulin pump which is connected to me 24x7. Giving the right amount of insulin at the right time is challenging and means that in addition to injecting insulin I also need to do many blood tests each do so that I can calculate how much insulin to I must have.
I have been diabetic for 37 years now and I have had fantastic support, incredible opportunities and I want others who are just starting their journey with type 1 diabetes to understand that they can still achieve their dreams, goals and ambitions. I also want to raise money for a charity which is working on research to cure type 1 diabetes not just because I have a vested interest in finding the cure, but because I want the children and young adults who are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes today to live in the hope that they will benefit from a cure.
Whilst living with type 1 diabetes can feel like an uphill battle, together this amazing team will demonstrate that the determination that you need to beat diabetes every single minute of every single day will help us to achieve the summit.
With your help I believe that we can cure type 1 diabetes, it is just a question of time and money, and I know that JDRF are doing some amazing research work all over the world to make sure that this happens but they need our help to continue with this ground breaking work. I have been informed that in the last 5 years we have made more progress on finding a cure than in the previous 20 years! Please donate to my fund raising campaign so that together we can continue this essential work to cure type 1 diabetes.
Everybody on this trip has already paid for the full cost of the trip personally and therefore your contribution, no matter how large or small, will go directly to the essential research to cure type 1 diabetes and preventing many of the long term complications that people with type 1 diabetes typically suffer from. So please go ahead and make a donation now, I would really appreciate your support and I thank you for taking the time and effort to read a little of my story.
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