Hi! My name's Hisham. I'm a final-year student of Politics and International Relations at the University of Bath, and I have been living with type-1 diabetes since the age of 9. It has been a long and ongoing battle - constantly checking my blood sugar and taking multiple daily injections to compensate for my immune system's inability to recognise that my insulin-producing beta cells are not foreign bodies trying to kill me. In my mid-to-late teens, my control over my disease was very poor - I was well on-track to developing complications like blindness, numbness, and a greater susceptibility to infection (which leads many to require amputations). But eventually I found the strength and the resources to be better. I started to run and exercise regularly; advances in medical technology and a great deal of privilege allowed me to use glucose (blood sugar) sensors that mean I no longer need to prick my fingers multiple times a day; new educational and support groups have given me the knowledge to feel in control of my life and my body, and to no longer feel alone. I am now happy to say that I have never been more optimistic about my health, and that my diabetes has never felt so peripheral in the grand scheme of my life. But life with diabetes is still a challenge - counting carbohydrates, calculating dosages, and constantly fearing potentially deadly peaks and troughs in my blood sugar. These struggles seem normal to me, and to many other type-1 diabetics (most of whom will have it worse than me)... but they do not need to be.

At the forefront of advances and campaigns in the fight against diabetes, and the provision of education and support for diabetics, is Diabetes UK. From the day I was diagnosed until now, I still use their educational resources, and stand to benefit from the 100+ research projects they fund. Their work goes beyond me and other type-1s, they also work for type-2 diabetics - a far larger group that includes many of our generation's colleagues, parents, and grandparents. Diabetes UK's work is critical for a future where diabetics can live long and happy lives - where diabetes either does not matter, or does not exist. This is why I am running the Bath Half-Marathon for them, and against diabetes.

For last year's Bath-Half I raised nearly £990 for the JDRF (a charity dedicated specifically to type-1 diabetes). This year, I want to raise a minimum of £1,000 for Diabetes UK. It's an ambitious goal, but I know we can do it, and I will happily take a donation instead of any gifts for the holiday season. Please donate whatever you can - it will make a world of difference.

Thank you so much for your support.