A shocking statistic you may not be aware of, more people in the UK die from Diabetes, and the related health complications, than Breast Cancer and AIDs combined. 

Last December my family's world was blown apart when my Mum became one of those people. She was just 54 years old.

My Mum was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of 21, following a severe bout of food poisoning, which hospitalised her. Back then very little was known about Diabetes, it was seen as an  inconvenience rather than a disease. 

Thankfully nowadays is a very different story.

Today more people know about Diabetes, but very few really understand how it  affects people. Diabetes Type 1 and Type 2 causes many health complications including;High blood pressure,Nerve  damage, Stroke, Loss of Hearing, Blindness, Kidney disease, just to name a few.

My Mum suffered from many of these, and it was high blood pressure that caused a fatal brain hemorrhage, without any warning. In fact she had been for a check-up with her GP on the morning she died, and there were no warning signs.

3 Million people  have been diagnosed with Diabetes in the UK and we are on the brink of an epidemic. It is time to highlight the need for more research into treatments and a cure for this cruel and debilitating disease.

My Mum did nothing to cause her Diabetes, and spent her life battling to control it. A battle she lost.

I am walking the 12 Bridge Challenge for Diabetes UK because I want to highlight how important it is to fund research into treatments and find a cure for Diabetes. It is a small challenge compared to daily challenges Diabetes creates for those who suffer from it. But I hope it is a small step in the right direction. A step closer to a world where Diabetes is a curable disease. 

My Mum was my best friend and an inspiration to me. She suffered for many years with the daily pain and limitations diabetes inflicted on her life, and always without complaint.

As a family we are still struggling to get our heads around life without the lady who was the centre of our world. Life will never be the same, and we will miss her until the end of forever. 

But if anything can come from this devastating event in our lives, let it be that more people become aware of the disease and help us work to a world without diabetes!

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page, please give anything you can, big or small it all makes a difference.

Lots of Love 

Louise

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