Alice wanted a challenge, and we have decided to climb Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain at 5895 metres above sea level. The plan is to climb from the base of the mountain to the summit in 5 days, camping on the mountain every night. The biggest challenge for most is the altitude, and a number of people that attempt Kilimanjaro fail every year because of altitude sickness - and in extreme cases this can actually prove fatal. 

However, the challenge for Alice is not just to deal with the altitude,  fatigue, camping on a mountain, changing weather conditions, and of course covering the required daily mileage to get to the next campsite, but Alice will also have to manage her Type 1 diabetes. 

As you may know, the Rolfe family's world was turned upside
down when Alice was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes on 23rd December 2013. Whilst the French way was to sweep it under the carpet and throw medication at the problem, the UK charity Diabetes UK helped us enormously with the practical, mental and emotional aspects of the condition. With their ongoing help and education we - and especially Alice - are able to take control of diabetes, and not the other way around.

Managing diabetes is a 24 hour a day, 7 days a week job, and the consequences of getting it wrong are severe - blindness, amputations,
premature death.  Diabetes management currently costs the NHS £60bln / year, and that number is growing. It is estimated that the number of people with Diabetes of all types in the UK will increase from 4 million today, to 5 million in 8 years time. These numbers are equivalent in France and other western countries.

Diabetes UK not only help with the practical, mental and
emotional aspects of diabetes management, but they are also at the forefront of diabetes research, as well as spearheading the drive into diabetes prevention of all types of diabetes. Diabetes UK has been a tremendous help and support, not just to Alice, but to the whole family. But it is not out of gratitude that we’re doing this. Diabetes is on the increase, not just in the UK, but around the world. Diabetes UK is leading efforts into research, developing treatments and improving ways people live with this life-changing condition. Our continued support for their work is vital if we are, one day soon, to live in a world in
which diabetes can do no harm.

Your support means the world to us. We are still a little way off, but our aim is to support a project that Diabetes UK wants to fund. Watch this space for further details, but in the meantime any donation large or small will help us to meet our target. 

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally
secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on orsend unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to thecharity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cuttingcosts for the charity.

With your support we can help tackle one of the most devastating consequences of diabetes.