Kentish Express Ashford & District
Mum’s doing her bit with a million steps
A woman from Ashford is walking one million steps to raise money for Diabetes UK after her five year-old son was diagnosed with the condition.
Rae O’Sullivan, 26, will be taking 10,000 steps a day – the equivalent of five miles – to reach her target by the end of September and to raise awareness of Type 1 diabetes.
Her son Izaiah was diagnosed with the condition seven weeks ago.
Diabetes UK’s sponsored One Million Step Challenge takes place until the end September.
Ms O’Sullivan said: “Izaiah’s diagnosis came as such a shock, it was so sudden.
“It was really out of character for him. He was suddenly tired with a chronic thirst – that was on a Wednesday.
“By the Sunday, I knew something wasn’t right with him so I took him to the GP the next day, who tested his blood and came back with the diagnosis.
“He spent over a week in hospital, but he’s been a little trooper – I’m very proud of him.”
Diabetes is a condition where there is too much glucose in the blood because the body cannot use it properly.
About 10 per cent of people with diabetes have Type 1 which is where people cannot produce insulin and need to take daily doses.
Type 2 is where not enough insulin is produced or the insulin doesn’t work properly and is usually controlled by a healthy diet and exercise.
Ms O’Sullivan said: “I’m taking this challenge for Diabetes UK to give something back. The local community have really rallied round since Izaiah was diagnosed and we’ve now raised more than £800 in just three weeks!
“I want to raise much more awareness so that one day we can find a cure.”
To sponsor Rae visit www. justgiving.com/Rae-Osullivan