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A woman from Chester is preparing to run her first marathon three years after being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

Kirsten Gooderham, 26, of Huntington, will take on the Virgin Money London Marathon on Sunday, April 26.

She is well on course to raise more than 2,000 in sponsorship for Diabetes UK, a charity which she says has transformed her life since her diagnosis in April 2017.

Type 1 diabetes causes the level of glucose in the blood to become too high. It happens when the body cant produce enough of a hormone called insulin, which controls blood glucose.

Type 1 diabetes is treated by daily insulin doses taken either by injections or via an insulin pump.

People with type 1 diabetes need to check their blood glucose levels are not too low or too high by using a glucose testing device several times a day.

Diabetes UKs Fight for Flash campaign empowered Kirsten to push for a flash glucose monitor. The device sits under the skin and measures the amount of sugar in the fluid under the skin, called interstitial fluid.

It has made it much easier for the former Chester Queens School pupil to manage her diabetes and run regularly in her free time.

Kirsten said: Flash means I no longer have to prick my fingers eight times a day in order to know my glucose readings. I can scan my arm and know within seconds what my levels are, 24/7.

Its changed my life completely and I have Diabetes UK to thank for that.

As well as reducing the need for as many finger pricks, the technology makes it easier to see when sugar levels are starting to rise or drop, meaning people can take action earlier.

Kirsten finds the monitor particularly useful when she is training and also uses an insulin pump, which she says is a massive help.

She added: Running is hard enough as it is, in terms of what to eat before a run, what to eat after. Now I have diabetes, its a constant battle of making sure Ive got enough carbs on board, and not having too many.

The main thing I found is you need to get into a routine to get out there and practice. Sometimes it goes wrong and you just have to move on and learn from it.

Sometimes it goes right, and its very rewarding when that happens.

Kirsten, who works as a production planner at a Deeside car engine factory, ran her first half-marathon while she was at university.

She had to pull out of the Chester Half Marathon in 2017 as it was due to take place soon after she was diagnosed with diabetes.

However, she managed to run it the following year and this year she will be stepping up to the full 26.2 miles in London for the first time.

The big run takes place three years and two days on from Kirstens diagnosis.

Clare Howarth, head of the North of England at Diabetes UK, said: Our much-needed work wouldnt be possible without the determination and generosity of our incredible fundraisers.

We are extremely grateful to Kirsten for her hard work running a marathon is no mean feat! The money raised will help fund ground-breaking research, care services and campaigns that can change the lives of those living with diabetes.

To sponsor Kirsten, please visit: https://justgiving.com/fundraising/Kirsten-Gooderham.

More here:
Chester woman won't let diabetes get in the way of her first London Marathon - Cheshire Live

This entry was posted on March 15, 2020 at 9:42 pm and is filed under Diabetes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |