Hogarth Member John Grummit Does The mHealth Grand Tour Raising Funds For Diabetes

Ever had one of those conversations at Christmas drinks parties that go a little further than you initially intended?

A few years ago a couple of friends recently returned from the Aussie Ironman persuaded me to try cycling. Within a few months I was doing a tri in Lisbon. Soon after, I joined the Hogarth Velos on my first mountain adventure, the Time Megeve sportive with tremendous support from Dan, Terry and the whole of the gang as well as some superb medics.

This month the challenge is the mHealth Grand Tour, from Brussels to Barcelona, by bike, via the Alps and Pyrenees. This will be one of the largest ever studies investigating the effect of endurance sport on people with diabetes. I'll be joining a group with diabetes and we'll have a control group comprising people without the disease, all rigged up with various sensors gathering all sorts of data which will be studied, real time by a team of academics. In case you are thinking this is low key, we have a pro team participating too. You can find out more by visiting www.mhealthtour.com

In prep I used to join circuits as well as spend time on the Watt bikes and a few spinning classes, but Terry hatched a personalised plan which got me focused on more efficient training, still incorporating the watt bike together with specific targeted routines. We'll see how the next couple of weeks go.

Diabetes poses one of the largest threats to health systems with the numbers increasing rapidly as diet and lifestyles change. It is expected that the number in this country will increase by 50% by 2025. c75% of the 10% of the NHS budget that is spent on the disease goes on treating largely avoidable complications. While how we live can have a significant impact, a number of people, develop diabetes for unknown reasons, including most children and young people. Today, 80% of children with the disease do not achieve their health targets meaning the odds of their developing complications increases significantly. The leading charity, Diabetes UK, run camps for children for them to better understand their disease and now to manage it, supported by healthcare professionals.

I am raising money for a bursary to ensure that those who would otherwise be prevented from joining, are not, due to lack of funds. I am committing that every penny raised, beyond the JustGiving fee, will go directly to enabling children to attend. If you are able to support this effort, please take a look at my page.

I'd be hugely grateful, as would those families that will benefit.