Running the 2023 Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon on 8 October to raise funds for the homeless charity, Shelter.Please do give generously if you can.

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2023 Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon

It&#x27;s happened again. I am running the London Marathon this year and raising money for Diabetes UK (again). Diabetes UK is a fantastic charity doing fantastic things and as someone who is familiar with the debilitating effects of irregular blood sugar levels and knowing several people who suffer from Type 1 diabetes, this is a fantastic cause so please give generously! As a top fundraiser for Diabetes UK last year (£11,428) I was invited to Kings College for a lab tour in July to see the work that being carried out by Professor Shanta Persaud and her team of researchers. Diabetes UK has been behind some of the greatest transformations in diabetes care and thanks to the work of their researchers they will keep breaking new ground for people living with and at risk of diabetes. There’s still a way to go before the innovations in the lab become life-changing treatments, so that is why their mission remains as important as ever. I will be running with my fellow running crew Ed Barry and Fabian Clark, and we will be led out by our coach, Joe Fellows. We will be aiming to run in sub 2:45:00. Wish us luck, and if you felt so inclined, please give generously to Diabetes UK.

Running the London Marathon for Diabetes UK (again)

Last year I was affected by a rare pancreatic neuroendocrine tumour that caused severe hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar). I had developed increasingly frequent symptoms of delirium, double vision and confusion that worsened throughout the year and culminated in a hypoglycaemic coma when I was at a wedding in Italy.I was lucky to be referred to a brilliant endocrinologist who undertook the challenging investigation and unusual diagnosis. At the beginning of September, I had a routine biopsy on the tumour caused pancreatitis and resulted in 10 days in hospital and an operation to drain me of the pancreatic fluid that had gathered around my stomach. Following that stint in hospital and at the end of September, I had a 6-hour open surgery that removed half of my pancreas and my spleen, followed by over a week of recovery in the ICU and the hospital ward. I lost 10kgs in the process and was off work for a total of 7 ½ weeks.The result of all of this is that I&#x27;m back at work, healthy, and crucially, won&#x27;t experience any more hypoglycaemic attacks. Now that I am recovered, I am running the London marathon on 23 April 2023 to raise money for Diabetes UK.While I am cured, the same cannot be said of those who suffer from Type 1 diabetes. Advances in technology (like the Freestyle Libre, which I used for 2 months) have greatly improved the lives of those with diabetes through easier monitoring of blood sugar levels, however, the process of treating it has remained the same since the discovery of insulin. Diabetes UK is an extraordinary charity whose vision is a world where diabetes can do no harm. Diabetes affects one in 15 of people, but there is hope now like never before, with charities such as Diabetes UK making great strides in researching new treatments that cure or prevent the condition. As someone who has experienced an element of the debilitating effects of irregular blood sugar levels and knowing several people who suffer from it, I can think of no better cause.Please give generously to support Diabetes UK.

Running the London marathon to raise money for Diabetes UK

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Freddie Barber

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2023 Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon

Running the London Marathon for Diabetes UK (again)

Running the London marathon to raise money for Diabetes UK