Thanks for visiting my JustGiving page.  Please help me to raise some money for Diabetes UK to research better treatments, provide improved patient support, advocacy and in time, a cure for diabetes!  

I’m a passionate believer that education and attitude are the keys to a successful life with diabetes.  EVERY person with diabetes should have easy access to the information and training that will help them develop a healthy attitude and a set of diabetes management skills for living happily and well.  Sadly this support and education is not always available via the NHS - the postcode lottery still rules!  Diabetes UK provides magazines, education, events, a helpline and many other great resources, but they need funds to do this vital work. 

I've never raised money for a charity before and I’m doing it this year as part of my 50 years with Type 1 diabetes 'Diaversity'.  I want to make up for the decades when I received information from Diabetes UK, but gave little back.  But I'm also doing it to celebrate my good fortune and health, to have some fun and to meet hundreds of others who like me, have spent a lifetime testing their blood and injecting multiple times each day to stay alive and well.   

I've had Type 1 since 1965 and during the first 40 years, my main source of information came from Diabetes UK's Balance magazine (I only saw my specialist for around 15 mins once or twice a year).  I'm now grateful for instant access to the #DOC (Diabetes Online Community) for fantastic resources, research, peer support and education, but there are still some who don't have such access and rely on the magazine for relatively limited information.  I want to raise money for Diabetes UK to help them make that information as good as it can be for such folk (mostly elderly people with Type 2 diabetes who without good support, are likely to get complications).  I also want to support the charity to provide bursaries for their care events for children, families and young people.  Life with Type 1 is not straightforward when you're first diagnosed, but if you're given the necessary education and support at an early stage, it's much easier!  

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and secure - they'll never sell your details on or send unwanted emails.  Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to Diabetes UK.  It’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.   Many thanks for your support!