‘I have taken up running,’ I excitedly told my dad on one of my visits. 'Now why would you want to do that?’  He soberly questioned.  Not the response I was hoping for.  He could not fully understand why any sane person would spend six days a week running on their own, or even worse, running on a treadmill.  He wasn’t the healthiest person in the world and he certainly did not look after himself.  Before his diagnosis he would smoke forty cigarettes a day, snack on sugary, fatty foods and did zero exercise – he would even drive to the corner shop!   

It was inevitable that he was going to develop Type 2 Diabetes in his midlife - the perfect candidate!  Upon his diagnosis, he immediately gave up smoking and lost several kilos in weight.  Yet, he still couldn’t resist the odd sneaky unhealthy snack and I would find secret stashes hidden around the house - eclairs being the main culprit.  When questioned about his misdemeanors he would candidly deny it, jokingly looking over his shoulder as if to blame someone else.   All his efforts came too late; his condition had been undiagnosed for sometime, and his symptoms had got progressively worse.

Diabetes is a serious illness where the blood glucose is too high and the body does not produce any or enough insulin to break it down. Therefore it cannot penetrate cells and begins to build in the blood and cause a variety of problems. Over time, high glucose levels in the blood can seriously damage the heart, eyes, feet and kidneys. (www.diabetes.org.uk) 

The list was endless of what he had to endure and it was heartbreaking to watch him go through it.  He was lucky to have my mother, a devoted wife of forty-four years, who warmly and effortlessly cared for him. An epitome of unconditional love.  The nurses were fantastic and local charities such as, Action 4 the Blind and Devon Insight contributed to enabling him to live a full life – a round of golf, sailing trips and a National Trust membership.  He found great enjoyment in those things. 

‘I am going to watch you run!’  My father exclaimed one day, knowing this would make me super happy.  Arriving one cold February morning, he and my mother watched me participate in the Exeter Park Run, a 5k dash around the river.  He was too poorly to get out of the car but this is what made his good deed so valuable.  20:40 was my time, not a PB but a good enough effort.  He was proud.  

The one thing I admired about my father was his strength and determination whilst always maintaining a positive outlook on life regardless what was thrown at him.  He had a great sense of humour.  

I was lucky to be with him in his final hours, with my brother, sister and mother. We held his hand, whispered loving words and he took his final breath. Diabetes had taken yet another victim. 

‘How far did you run today?’ my father would ask upon my return from yet another training session. At the time I tried to tell him that I was more of a sprinter and that sprinters didn’t run long distances.  I don’t think he understood. Annoyingly he always seemed to be impressed with distance as opposed to speed.

So, with this in mind, my challenge is to run 90 kilometers across the breadth of Qatar in December.  I am sure he would be suitably impressed with that. All to raise money for Diabetes UK, Action 4 the Blind, and Devon Insight, all who contributed to my father’s care and wellbeing and to whom I will be forever grateful.  I won’t be running in fancy dress, tutus or underpants but I will be wearing a very good pair of trainers and a big smile on my face.