You probably know me as fun-loving cheeky Oli. I am just like any other eight year old - I love Pokemon and Lego, all things Spurs, playing football for the Panthers, mucking about at Beavers, joking about poo and farts, flossing (the dance not my teeth), hanging out with my friends from Tiger and Lion class, Saturday Strictly nights with popcorn and lemonade, and doing the Time Warp with my little sister Alice. 

I also have diabetes. I've been living with Type 1 for two years. This means that my pancreas doesn't work properly. I have an insulin pump attached 24/7 - that's what is in the pouch you might have seen me wearing at school. Whenever I'm about to eat or do some exercise I need to check my blood glucose and either have more insulin to stop me from going too high or fast-acting sugar to stop me from going too low.  I have to 'carb count' all meals and snacks too. 

It can be a bit annoying especially in the night when I get woken up because I need extra sugar or if I need a finger prick test because my sensor isn't working. It can be a bit lonely as I don't know anyone else with Type 1 where I live but I do have two really good Type 1 friends, Leo and Oliver, who I meet up with in the holidays. Sometimes I have to sit quietly instead of playing with my friends if I'm going low and I have to plan meals carefully to avoid highs or lows. On the plus side I am the only kid in Year 3 with their own phone (to monitor my blood glucose) so when I'm going low I can check my Fantasy Football results!

I want to raise money to help to find a cure for Type 1 diabetes. Last year, with the help of my friends, family, school and church I raised over £8,000 when I did my first 5k. This year I'm going to try to beat last year's time. More importantly I want to beat Mum! Some of my friends and my sister is going to run with me too.

Unlike Type 2, Type 1 is not reversible and nothing to do with my diet, so we need the Type 1 scientists to find a cure. Diagnosis is growing at 4% so the problem is getting worse. We really need to help. I hope you are able to support Type 1 research. Thank you for reading my message and for your support. Every donation gives me hope for a better future.