I’m walking 400,000 steps over 40 days for the 400,000 people in the UK living with Type 1 diabetes 💙

Three months ago, our son Joshua was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes — an autoimmune condition where the body attacks the cells that make insulin. It’s not caused by sugar or lifestyle, and it can’t be prevented or cured (yet).

It was a huge shock and a steep learning curve: glucose monitoring, fingerpricks, insulin injections, and carb counting. Joshua has been absolutely amazing throughout and we are so incredibly proud of him.

Starting on Monday 6th October, I’m taking on the Breakthrough T1D 400,000 Steps Challenge, walking one step for every person in the UK living with Type 1 diabetes and finishing after 40 days on World Diabetes Day. I’ll be sharing the journey to raise awareness of what Type 1 really is (and isn’t), and to help fund life-changing research towards better treatments and, one day, a cure.

Every £11 could help a recently diagnosed child no longer feel alone with their type 1 diabetes. They now have a fluffy best friend called Rufus who also has type 1 diabetes, and special felt patches on his test and injection sites to help children practice on.

Every £25 could pay for an hour of research nurse support for someone involved in a clinical trial, which could ultimately lead to the next big breakthrough. Without this support there would be no trial.

Every £100 could pay for one person to be screened for type 1 diabetes, to help prevent undiagnosed complications and save lives.

Thank you for your support, whatever you donate is really appreciated.