A Kirkcudbright mum is getting her running shoes back on to raise money for a charity close to her heart.
Heather Hall is taking part in this year’s Edinburgh Half Marathon to help raise funds to tackle type one diabetes, which her son Owen was diagnosed with in 2017.
And, just as when she took part in the Great North Run in 2018, she’ll be doing it in aid of the Junior Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).
Heather said: “I’ve previously done half marathons and did a marathon in 2017.
“Since then I’ve had another baby, then came the pandemic and lockdown, so I’ve had a couple of years off.
“Even though Owen is an adult now, the last couple years has shown us as a family that living with the condition doesn’t get any easier, which is the reason I feel I need to get back to doing something for the charity.
“In the five years since Owen’s diagnosis, the advances in technology have been incredible.
“The technology available to support delivery of insulin to the body and monitor blood glucose makes a massive difference to the lives of type one diabetics.
“Supporting charities like JDRF can make all the difference in changing someone’s life. Type one diabetes is a relentless challenge. Having support to manage this is key.
“As parent if I could take the condition for Owen, I would in a second. What I can do is continue to raise awareness and money for charity to help develop technology and support people living with type one Diabetes. Type one diabetes does not have to control your life if you manage it well. However, it is a full-time job, 24 hours of the day, everyday.
“It is a difficult time to raise money in the current climate, so even more so, every donation no matter the amount is very much appreciated. I cannot stress this enough.”
Owen, who turns 20 this month, was diagnosed at the age of 14.
Heather, a teacher at Kirkcudbright Academy, said: “It’s an incredibly difficult condition to live with and there’s lots of impacts over the last few years that mean they’ve been quite challenging – maybe more so than the first couple.
“He wants to go out with his pals to lead a normal life, he plays a lot of football and is very active. He’s now doing a heating and plumbing apprenticeship with his dad so it affects his daily work.
“If Owen is having a really bad hypoglycemic episode he could appear to be drunk but he’s not, it’s that his bloods are really low. His friends know he has type one diabetes and I’ve spoken to them about what to do if anything ever happens. His friends having an awareness is important.”
To sponsor Heather for the half marathon, which takes place in May, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/heather-hall12
