Stephen walks 40 miles in honour of wife

He wants to raise money for Diabetes UK because wife Carol has type one.

Stephen said: “I met my wife in 2011 and can remember the first time when she had a hypo; it shocked me and when she is in pain I couldn’t do anything.

“She suffers from blindness and cellulitis in her legs as well as sleep apnea.”

He said Diabetes UK provides vital support to people to ensure they don’t face diabetes alone.

“Diabetes is a killer,” added Stephen, who has been training for the one day event.

“Carol has the new sensors to check her sugar levels which are better for everyone, but you have to pay for them and I think they should be on the NHS. Diabetes UK campaigns and uses its influence to persuade the NHS to provide the highest level of care to people living with diabetes, this is why I want to raise some money for them.”

The charity walk takes place on December 16, starting at Daventry, onto Weedon, Towcester, Silverstone to Whittlebury, A5, A508 finishing at Northampton Hospital Diabetes Centre.

Some of the symptoms of type one diabetes include feeling very thirsty; urinating more frequently than usual, particularly at night; feeling very tired; weight loss and loss of muscle bulk; itchiness around the genital area, or regular bouts of thrush (a yeast infection); blurred vision caused by the lens of your eye changing shape; slow healing of cuts and grazes.

Vomiting or heavy, deep breathing can also occur at a later stage. This is a dangerous sign and requires immediate admission to hospital for treatment.

Stephen is inviting people to make a donation to his 40 mile walk in one day - by texting STRI48 and an amount of £1, £2, £3, £4, £5, £10 or £20 to 70070.