My son Ollie was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in June 2016. This was life changing for him and the whole family. Over the last 20 months he has been on a steep learning curve as he gets to grips with his diabetes. From injecting and blood testing to carbohydrate counting and coping with hypos, diabetes is with you 24/7. The diabetes also had a psychological impact.

One of the things that really helped Ollie was speaking to other children who were going through the same thing as him. Last year he went away for a weekend residential with the Paediatric diabetes team from Southampton General Hospital. Ollie came back from this weekend buzzing! He found it really beneficial spending time with others who had the same thoughts, feeling and issues with their diabetes. Unfortunately this year they are unable to offer a residential because of the ever increasing cost of these activities and a decrease in monies available.

I am doing the Blenheim Triathlon on the 2nd June 2018 to raise money for the Charlotte Frances May Foundation so that more events can be organised outside of diabetes clinic, to enable valuable support for young persons and their families in the significant challenges of living with Type I diabetes.

The funds raised will provide more of these extremely beneficial social events organised for the children under the care of Southampton Childrens Diabetes Team.