In 2014, aged one, my daughter Poppy was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.

While on holiday in Turkey Poppy became seriously ill and by the time the symptoms had been recognised she was in a coma and in intensive care. Poppy spent a month in Antalya General Hospital while the doctors tried to get her blood sugar levels under control.

Diabetes is a condition where the pancreas cannot produce insulin which is needed to carry sugars around the body. The symptoms of Type 1 diabetes include increased thirst, tiredness, weight-loss and going to the toilet more frequently. As with Poppy, if left undiagnosed Type 1 diabetes can result in more serious life-threatening complications such as Diabetic Ketoacidosis.

Poppy now wears an insulin pump on her leg and leads a normal and healthy life. Without the advances in technology such as insulin pumps Poppy’s blood sugar levels could not be controlled as effectively.

I hope that through fundraising and further advances Poppy will see a cure for Type 1 Diabetes in her lifetime.