A Bolton schoolboy raised more than £1,800 for Diabetes UK last month after being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in January last year.
Ten-year-old Malachy Hatton, from Heaton, raised the money by running the equivalent of his age in miles alongside his mum to increase awareness of the condition.
Diabetes UK aims to support sufferers and raise awareness of the disease which has no cure and affects more people in the UK than any other serious illness.
St Bernard’s RC Primary School pupil, Malachy, said: “I hope that the money raised will help research into a cure for type 1 diabetes.
“Diabetes is a pain and I’d like it if other people didn’t have to go through what I have to.
“I’m really happy at the amount raised and grateful to the people who sponsored me; I thought we’d raise about £200 but wow! It’s really a lot more.
“I’ve never done much running before and I hope to keep it up.”
Type 1 diabetes sufferers don’t get enough insulin which is needed to convert food into energy because their pancreas can’t produce it.
Diabetes UK says the most common signs of type 1 diabetes, known as the 4Ts, are:
Toilet – An increased need for the toilet.
Thirsty – Being excessively thirsty but not being able to satisfy the thirst.
Tired – Feeling more tired than usual.
Thinner – Losing weight or looking thinner.
Presently no one knows what causes this type, which is most common among children and young adults, or how to prevent it, but researchers know it’s not related to being overweight.
Malachy’s mum, Tracy Hatton, 48, said: “It’s been a bit of a whirlwind since Malachy was diagnosed but he’s had so much support from family, friends and his school.
“It’s been wonderful to see everybody support his fundraising effort too; it has helped open up conversations about type 1 diabetes and raise awareness.
“I hope Malachy’s efforts will help other people know more about type 1 diabetes and what symptoms to look out for.”
Diabetes UK has seen demand for its services reach record levels, but their funding has been severely impacted.
Clare Howarth, Head of the North of England at Diabetes UK said: “More so than ever, people with diabetes need us, but we need your support to be able to continue fighting their corner.
“We want to thank Malachy and Tracy.
“Without the help of generous supporters like you, we simply would not be able to offer support to the thousands of people with diabetes contacting our helpline, to campaign to keep people with diabetes safe in the workplace, or to invest in vital research – taking us a step closer to our vision of a world where diabetes can do no harm.”
You can still sponsor Malachy for his efforts here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/tracy-hatton1
For more information on diabetes visit: www.diabetes.org.uk
