Thanks for visiting our fundraising page.

Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

On 23rd June 2009 Steve Hamilton, Mark Ashford, Rob Woolston and Chris Ellingham intend to play 5 rounds of golf at Forresters Golf Club in Essex in 24 hours to raise funds for JDRF.

We all  play  golf but as the course is in excess of 6000 yards, walking, swinging, pulling and carrying golf clubs 5 times around a golf course is slightly excessive. In a straight line, which is highly doubtful is approx. 17 miles. Add to that hitting a golf ball more than 400 times makes the challenge a little bit more interesting.

The picture opposite is of my daughter Alicia who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 9,

Type 1 diabetes follows a gruelling schedule of insulin injections and bloods tests as well as a strict diet.  JDRF is the only charity that exists to find a cure for Type 1 diabetes and its complications.  With your help we hope that one day a cure is found to allow her the freedom to enjoy her life without the obstacle of this daily routine. 

Between us we would like to raise £2000.00 and any donation would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks for visiting our Just Giving page, Steve, Mark, John and chris.

Below is an explanation of Diabetes and the effects of type

About 350,000 people in the UK alone are affected by type 1 diabetes with over 25,000 of them children. It is a leading cause of kidney failure, adult blindness, stroke, heart attacks and nerve damage leading to amputation.

What is type 1 diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the amount of glucose in the blood is too high. A normal, healthy body will keep glucose levels within a range of 4 – 7 mmol/L (the measurement used in the UK) by using a range of hormones. Insulin is the hormone that transfers glucose from the bloodstream into the cells to be used for energy. In type 1 diabetes blood glucose levels go outside of the normal range because there is either insufficient or a total absence of insulin.

When blood glucose levels are too high the body will attempt to remove the excess glucose from the blood in any way it can. This leads to a chain of events including the following:

• The body will try to get rid of the excess glucose by pushing it out in the urine – resulting in the need to go to the toilet more often

• Because more urine is being passed there is increased thirst

• Because the cells aren’t getting the energy they need there will be tiredness and eventually exhaustion

• Because the body still needs energy it will start to break down fat stores so there will be weight loss

• And if this continues for any length of time there will be a build up of ketones which are toxic to the body and can cause the breath to smell ketotic (like pear drops), stomach pains and ultimately loss of consciousness.

So please sponsor us now!