Walkers raise £12,000 for diabetes charity

Almost 300 walkers took to the pathways and pavements around Lerwick on Sunday in this year’s bid to relinquish Type 1 diabetes to the medical history books.

Between them the fund-raisers gathered together £12,000. Together with money raised from Sunday teas in April, at least £13,300 will be winging its way to Type 1 charity, JDRF.

Walkers set off yesterday on familiar three or five mile routes, following a motivational pep-talk from Aberdeen-based fund-raiser, Claire Douglas, who was in the isles for the first time. She said advances in medical research meant the goal was ever closer of “turning Type 1 into Type None”.

“We’re just delighted that so many people want to get involved and want to help us find a cure. Even if they don’t have a connection themselves they realise the importance of what we do and how it will benefit the people who have Type 1 and their families.

“The money that we raise goes towards research projects to cure and treat the complications of Type 1. We’re working on lots of projects at the moment.”

Trials underway in the UK vary from “smart” insulin, which allows the diabetic patient to endure only one daily injection – rather than several. Smart insulin is so-called because it senses when glucose levels are rising too high, and turns on and off when required.

The other major advance is the artificial pancreas, which continually monitors glucose levels and “talks” to an insulin pump.

“It means you don’t have to do any of the calculations. You don’t have to do your finger-prick testing,” said Ms Douglas.

“It’s huge benefits to the people that are trialling them.”

Local JDRF representative, Sandra Summers, said an extra 105 walkers turned up to take part in the event, giving the walk an impressive 265 participants.

The now familiar start and finish point was Gilbertson Park, where raffles, plants and other goods were sold to raise funds for the charity.

Although impressive, the £12,000 tally is £2,000 down on 2013’s total – although Mrs Summers added the final tally from two years ago included £5,000 in company sponsorship. So money raised by walkers this year has increased by £3,000.

Also in the mix is extra money raised by Mrs Summers’ husband, Liam, who took part in the Edinburgh half marathon at the weekend – finishing the gruelling challenge in under two and a half hours and raising £750 in the process.