The Davies 3 is taking part in Pedal for Progress

The Davies 3

Raised

£1,254

My Story

This Christmas 2024 marks my 40th anniversary of being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. I was 8 years old and became so ill that I very nearly died. Since then I have had so many ups and downs (literally and metaphorically!) thanks to this extremely complex condition. I have experience changes in equipment from old fashioned syringes to the technically advanced insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitoring. I have done well over 100,000 finger prick blood tests, almost 60,000 injections, primed thousands of infusion sets, and consumed a ridiculous amount of emergency gels, jelly babies and sugary rescue rations!

The worst thing about having diabetes is the unrelenting responsibility you feel. The need to make dozens and dozens of decisions every day to control these blood sugars and insulin requirements. It's definite
ly not just doing what the doctor tells you! You try to rely on instinct, experience and technology, but diabetes is absolutely not an exact science and all these things can let you down. The flipping pump beeps at you at all times of the day and night to alert you if you have miscalculated the dose and blood sugars are rapidly going up or down. Or the insulin flow has blocked and you're shooting off the scale! Just when you think you understand it, something changes. Everything you do influences your diabetes and, in turn, your diabetes influences your whole life. It increases your chances of getting almost every health condition in the future, increases healing and recovery times, and is basically just a huge burden to manage as best you can, and I for one never feel that I'm getting it right despite trying my best every day. It is exhausting, frustrating, and unrelenting.

However, I consider myself lucky compared to many. I have access to a insulin pump and all the medical supplies I need. Although it's often a struggle, I do control my diabetes well. I haven't had to rely on others to manage medical emergencies, like hypoglycemic comas. And so far I have managed to avoid the worst complications that can arise from type 1 diabetes; kidney failure, blindness, circulatory problems, heart disease, and stroke, to name just a few. I've managed to have two healthy children, and as a family we've had some pretty great adventures. I am currently fit enough to work full time in an amazing, active career. And cycle, I can cycle! Ben and Claudia, my lovely husband and daughter are joining me on this challenge. They know how diabetes affects me and understand my frustrations, and they are also my best companions when cycling. (Fin too, but he's just gone back to uni!). So that is why I have chosen to take part in this challenge. To prove to myself that I can do it while at the same time helping other people with their version of diabetes. They need your support too. We are all looking forward to a day when we can shirk off this heavy responsibility of managing diabetes, of avoiding life changing illness and disabilities, and perhaps most importantly of having hope of a cure.

This is more than just a bike ride. The money you raise will fund ground-breaking research, campaigns and crucial support for the millions of people living with diabetes, day in, day out.

Raised

£1,254

Target

£500

250.8% there

Miles covered

1,206.3 mi

Target

700 mi

172.32484428484005% there