Donut Duathlon. All photographs © Al Macphee/MiraclePR
Over my time in the photography business, I have collected a fair few contacts: from newspaper editors and radio DJs to community leaders and event organisers. Ever so often, the opportunity arises to ‘rally the troops’ for the benefit of a good cause.
With Children In Need coming up on Friday and World Diabetes Day taking place last Sunday, the content for this week’s blog was a no-brainer. I wanted to give centre stage to a 7 year old boy, Will, who was taking part in the Sportiva Donut Duathlon to raise money for diabetes charity JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation).
I reached out to JDRF for more information about common myths around this misunderstood illness.
“We know Vicky, and her son, and they’ve done fundraising for us in the past so we’re very happy to help,” said Hayley from the Supporter Care Team. She directed me to the section on their website that presents the myths about type 1 diabetes alongside the actual facts.
For example:
Myth: With type 1 diabetes you can’t have any sweets, chocolate or anything sugary.
WRONG
Fact: People with type 1 diabetes can have a normal, healthy diet which includes some sugar – just like people without type 1. Whatever they eat, people with type 1 need to regularly measure the glucose levels in their blood and have insulin injections.
Myth: With type 1 diabetes you can’t join in PE lessons or do sports.
WRONG
Fact: As long as people with type 1 diabetes check their blood glucose level is stable first, there’s no reason why they can’t exercise. They may need to have a snack before they start and check their blood glucose during exercise.
And what better way to bust these myths about type 1 diabetes than to show Will tucking heartily into a donut at the end of the race.
And as Will proved on Sunday – by finishing third in the Mini Duathlon – young people with diabetes can mix it up with the best of them. Well done, Will. What an achievement.
To help give the charity as much publicity as possible this week, we liaised with the local print and broadcast press to run the pictures and story in this week’s papers and on the radio.
And by hooking into the social media buzz around Children In Need and World Diabetes Day, we’re hoping that JDRF will benefit from a few more pennies. So if you’re feeling generous, click the button and donate to Will’s JustGiving page.
PS. Here are some useful, shareable facts about type 1 diabetes.
Have a burning photography question you would like Al to write about in his next blog post? Email info@miraclepr.com with your request.