Diabetic teenager’s marathon walk

Youngster treks across Wales for charity but London to Paris is next!

 

A teenager who has Type 1 diabetes has put her walking shoes on and trekked across Wales to raise vital funds for health charity Diabetes UK Cymru.

 

Cerys Bennett, of Trewern, Welshpool, completed the 43-mile challenge with her grandfather Rod Lloyd, 70.

 

The duo raised £400 for Diabetes UK Cymru by walking from Anchor, Shropshire, to the Glandyfi Estuary, Machynlleth, in an impressive 15 hours and 10 minutes.

The £400 has been added to £800 the 16-year-old’s parents Rachel and Mark and her 18-year-old sister Laura raised doing the walk last year after Cerys was unable to take part.

The family decided to raise funds for Diabetes UK Cymru as Cerys was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, an unpreventable condition which is not linked to lifestyle, two and a half years ago.

As the condition means the body is unable to produce insulin, the teenager manages it with at least four insulin injections a day.

Cerys decided to raise funds for Diabetes UK Cymru by doing the walk as she is adamant that her diabetes will not prevent her from leading a normal life.

 

The Welshpool High School pupil, who had never completed a walk longer than eight miles before, said: “Before the walk I was looking forward to it, but I was a little bit anxious as I had never walked that far.

 

“The walk was tiring but I enjoyed it. The weather couldn’t quite make its mind up and there was quite a bit of rain, which was nice as it cooled us down. Finishing the walk felt great – it was such a good feeling.”

 

Cerys now has her sights set on cycling from London to Paris with her Dad and Sister for Diabetes UK in September 2012 and is trying to raise a minimum of £4,500.

  

If you would like to support Cerys and her family to raise funds for the London to Paris Cycle ride you go online at: http://www.diabeteschallenge.org.uk/challenge/cerysbikestoparis2012.