Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

25 years ago on my 11th birthday I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. A few days before this, my family and I had been up in Fort William near to Ben Nevis where we started to realise something was wrong. The docs wanted me to go into hospital in the morning of my b'day but in true Downie style Mum and Dad said we must let me have my party so I remember having the party then leaving and hopping into an ambulance and being taken to the Cumberland infirmary.

A few years later my cousin Daniel was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and then shortly after my darling sister Kate was diagnosed, also with type 1.

My Uncle John has had diabetes for many years and in more recent years my wonderful Dad has had the type 2 variety.

Since then I have known friends who have had their children diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, the most recent being my good friends Sophie and Darren's niece Betsy, who is aged 5.

Diabetes has been relatively kind to me (as you will all know I have never let it stop me doing anything) but have been lucky.. it hasn’t sadly always been kind to one closest to me.

There are also several other medical issues which you can experience with type 1 diabetes, including hypothyroidism, loss of eye sight and feeling in your feet plus several more and a weakened immune system.

Therefore I’ve decided I’d love to raise some money for a JDRF, a charity dedicated to finding a cure for Type 1 diabetes, supporting families living with the condition and set myself a challenge...

So am going to climb Ben Nevis... I need to get training and plan to do this on Saturday 21st September -  if anyone is able to support the charity I’d be eternally grateful!

Also if anyone would like to join me and clamber up the mountain with me that would be amazing!!

Eternally grateful to you all XXXXX