Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I'm no natural athlete, and running 10km does not come easily to me.

But I want to do all I can to help fund scientific research into a cure for Type 1 diabetes.

This devastating disease usually strikes in childhood if you are unfortunate enough to get it - and if you get it, you've got it for life.There's no known cause or cure. It's a life sentence.

My lovely only child Laura was diagnosed when she was just 3. She cannot remember life without illness.

No, she will not grow out of it. (Exhibit A: my husband: he still has his Type 1 diabetes at the age of 58.)

Immediately on diagnosis, the daily routine must begin of frequent blood testing, which means pricking your fingers to draw fresh blood lots of times every day. You must give yourself an injection of insulin several times a day, or wear an electronic pump 24/7 that will deliver the insulin into your flesh via a cannula. Refusal is not an option: without this treatment, the patient will quickly die. Many do, all over the world, in countries too poor to provide healthcare.

My daughter is lucky - we get the treatment she needs.

She's lucky - she has the sterile needles required to safely prick her fingers six times a day for her blood tests. (But just because they're sterile, it doesn't mean it doesn't hurt.)

She's lucky - from day one, she had the NHS to supply the clean needles and insulin needed to provide her four injections every day, and she had loving parents who were prepared to give the injections until she's old enough to do it herself.

She's lucky - she's now got an infusion pump with a tube  sunk into her flesh 24/7, to deliver her life-saving insulin subcutaneously. The insertion needle for this tube is long and thick and it hurts when we have to change it twice a week.

We're lucky - she's brave and uncomplaining by nature, but even so we have to bite our tongues when someone complains about having a one-off innoculation or flu jab. We're seasoned veterans of the hypodermic needle. And yes, no matter how often you stick them into yourself, they still hurt. And I will forever mourn the loss of my daughter's perfect health.

But I'm not after sympathy for my family's plight. What I really want is a cure - not just for my darling daughter, but for the generations of children yet to come, who will continue to suffer from this wretched disease, unless we find a cure. Please help me to help them.

With every penny that you donate, that cure is edging a little bit closer.

Thank you.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity. (It costs them much more to process cheques and cash - believe me, I work at a different charity doing just that, so I know!)