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Father-of-three Roddy Riddle, from Inverness, is to become the first ever person with type 1 diabetes to take part in the gruelling six-day, 156 mile Marathon Des Sables challenge in the Sahara.

Roddy, a former international road cyclist, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes five years ago and wanted to compete in the toughest race in the world to show that type 1 doesn’t have to be something which holds you back. Roddy hopes to show others with the condition, who can lose confidence when it comes to exercise, that they can live normal active lives. At the same time he wants to raise awareness of type 1 diabetes and raise vital funds for JDRF and Diabetes UK.

Roddy said:

“The commitment and dedication that comes from the people at JDRF is unbelievable. What makes the connection even closer is many of the people at JDRF live with type 1 themselves.”

The Inverness iron man will begin the Marathon Des Sables challenge on 7 April and will finish on 13 April. The race takes place across one of the harshest regions on earth – the Sahara desert, which reaches temperatures of up to 50°C. The race is the equivalent of running six marathons in six days. It will be essential for Roddy to ensure his blood glucose levels don’t slip dangerously low or too high. To assist him with this he will run with an insulin pump and a continuous glucose monitor (CGM).

Roddy kick-started his fundraising for JDRF and Diabetes UK with an auction dinner and dance on Saturday 2 February. It raised an amazing £17,765 which was split between both charities. Two of the top prizes on the evening were Marathon Des Sables replica tops signed by Sir Chris Hoy, Sir Bradley Wiggins and Sir Steve Redgrave – three British Olympians!

On the night a supportive video was played featuring Caroline Hellicar, JDRF's Director of Fundraising – scroll down to watch the video.

On his return, Roddy will be at the Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, sharing his experiences. Joining Roddy in conversation will be Moray Firth Radio presenter and newspaper columnist Nicky Marr. Expect tales of scorpions and bivouacs, sand storms and insulin pumps. Tickets are £15 with all proceeds going to JDRF and Diabetes UK – find out more about the event and buy tickets

JDRF wishes Roddy the best of luck with his incredible challenge, we will be thinking of him every day of the race. 
You can support Roddy in the toughest race on earth by sponsoring him »

Watch JDRF Director of Fundraising Caroline Hellicar's message of support for Roddy

On 23 March at 6.30pm, over 280 guests arrived at the Marcliffe Hotel and Spa for the eighth JDRF Gala Ball in Aberdeen. Eight hours later the last guests were leaving, with an incredible £136,000 raised for JDRF.

The ball had a Shanghai theme, starting with a drinks reception with Shanghai Sling cocktails. Guests then entered the stunning ballroom, decked out in gold and red with Chinese lanterns hanging from the ceiling, where they were welcomed by host Dougie Donnelly. 11 year old Rachael Pyper then gave a moving speech about how she has coped with life with type 1 since being diagnosed at the age of 10.

A fortune cookie table game was followed by a delicious Chinese-inspired dinner. The star raffle prizes, including a Kindle Fire HD, £200 M&S vouchers and a Samsung Galaxy Tablet, were drawn and then the live auction was underway.  For Lot 13, Professor John Petrie spoke about the vital research he is doing around heart disease and type 1 diabetes at the University of Glasgow, before inviting guests to pledge their support to his research project. 

By the end of the night last year’s total of £112,000 was smashed, with the final figure reaching £136,000. This money will help JDRF to fund vital research to find the cure for type 1 diabetes.

Catriona Morrice, Regional Fundraiser for JDRF Scotland, said:

‘JDRF Scotland would like to thank everyone who attended the Shanghai Ball, kindly donated prizes and volunteered their time on the evening. Together with the hard work of the ball committee in organising the event, everyone helped to make the evening such a great success. A huge thank you to our corporate sponsors whose support and generosity was invaluable on the night. We really would not have been able to achieve any of this without everyone’s support.’

We look forward to seeing you at the Aberdeen Gala Ball in 2014!

Tickets are still available for the Shanghai Ball in Edinburgh on 8 June 2013. Find out more and purchase tickets »

Guests are to be treated to a magical Chinese-style ball staged in Aberdeen to raise funds for JDRF. The Fifth Business is for the fourth year running sponsoring JDRF’s Shanghai Ball on Saturday 23 March. 

The 2013 ball will be held at the Marcliffe Hotel & Spa in Pitfodels, Aberdeen. Scottish golf broadcaster and compere, Dougie Donnelly, will be there to encourage the guests to give generously. 

Those attending will be treated to an evening of dining and live music with both a live and silent auction. They will get the opportunity to learn more about the research that JDRF supports, while enjoying the exciting Chinese theme.

Last year’s ball raised an incredible £112,000 and the JDRF team hopes to trump that figure this year. The funds raised will support research to cure, treat and prevent type 1 diabetes - which affects more than 28,500 people in Scotland alone. Male Scots are more likely to have the condition than females, with 56 per cent of those living with the condition in Scotland being men and boys.

The Fifth Business, which is excited to be part of the occasion, is a long-term JDRF supporter. The company provides JDRF with graphic design, offers support at major events, and has continuously fundraised on its behalf down the years.

Enda Logan is Chief Executive of The Fifth Business and a member of the Scottish Development Group – a collective of leading professionals within Scottish industry that aims to support local charities such as JDRF in Scotland. He said:

'This is sure to be a night to remember and another great opportunity to support a very important cause. The Fifth Business will continue to support JDRF in all its future activities. We wish the team the best of luck.'

Alastair Brookes, JDRF’s Development Manager for Scotland, said:

'As always we are entirely grateful to The Fifth Business for their help for the event but also for their support across the years. Without the support of local businesses and supporters, we wouldn’t be able to fund the research to help find the cure. Thanks to everyone who has made this possible and here’s to a great night – please remember to dig deep.'

Edinburgh will also play host to a JDRF Shanghai Ball on 8 June 2013. Click here to find out more.

On 8 March 2013, to coincide with International Women’s Day, Cathy Ferris from Aberdeen will be leading a dance jam as part of Global Nia 2013.  Nia is an exhilarating dance workout and Cathy’s class, in aid of JDRF, will take part alongside 42 classes in 18 different countries across the world. 

JDRF is committed to finding the cure for type 1 diabetes, improving the lives of people with type 1 until this happens.

Cathy chose JDRF as her beneficial charity, as close friend Mike Unger and Mike’s daughter Grace (pictured), nine, both have type 1 diabetes. Mike has been living with the condition for the past 31 years and Grace was diagnosed aged three years old.

Cathy said:

'I’m thrilled to bring Nia to Aberdeen.  Nia brings me so much joy, and now I have the honour of sharing it with my community, while benefiting JDRF.  I’m hoping to raise £450 and I would encourage people to come to the class or donate online to help JDRF one day find the cure for type 1 diabetes.'

The money raised will help to support vital research into finding the cure for type 1 diabetes and its complications. The chronic condition can strike suddenly and without warning. 

Get involved

The Nia class will be on Friday 8 March 2013, 10 - 11.15am at His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen. Click here to find out more about the event »

If you would like to sponsor Cathy please visit http://www.justgiving.com/Cathy-Ferris

Today the Scottish Medicines Consortium approved Lucentis® (ranibizumab), the first medicine licensed to treat visual impairment due to Diabetic Macular Oedema, for restricted use within NHS Scotland.

This decision puts Scotland ahead of the rest of the UK in granting access to Lucentis. The makers of the drug, Novartis, estimate that the decision means that approximately 4000 people living with Diabetic Macular Oedema in Scotland will now be eligible to benefit from the treatment.

Novartis has worked with the Scottish Medicines Consortium to put in place a Patient Access scheme that helps to ensure the new treatment meets cost effectiveness criteria set by NHS Scotland.

Rachel Connor, Head of Research Communication at JDRF comments:

‘JDRF is delighted that the Patient Access Scheme for Lucentis means that people living with Diabetic Macular Oedema in Scotland may now be eligible to access to this innovative treatment. Lucentis is a new tool, which JDRF helped to develop, for clinicians working with people with diabetes.  It has the potential to not only prevent further vision loss, but also repair some of the damage that has already occurred.’

Neil McDonald is a firm candidate for JDRF’s ultimate fundraiser, after raising £120,000 through his Climbing for a Cure campaign. Neil has taken part in a series of exhibitions for JDRF, and scaled Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak at 8,848 metres, this May.

The Aberdeen-based dad started to raise funds for JDRF after his 10-year-old daughter, Darcey (pictured with Neil), was diagnosed with type 1 at the age of three. His wife Linzie has also tirelessly fundraised for the cure, organising the Climbing for a Cure Bond Ball in September 2011, which raised an amazing £80,000 for JDRF.

In preparation for the Everest climb, Neil and his climbing partner, Radek Dusatko, scaled some of the world’s highest mountains. To qualify for the Everest climb they had to climb Aconcagua (the highest mountain in South America), which is 7,000 metres and took nearly three weeks. To qualify for this the pair had climbed Mont Blanc, and at the start of the campaign Neil climbed Ben Nevis to train. The whole process took two and a half years, with Neil training five days a week, every week.  

Neil was on Everest itself for two months, in between Everest Base Camp and the higher camps. As well as the extreme physical challenges of altitude sickness and hydration, the expedition was mentally taxing. Neil helped rescue one stranded climber, for which he was nominated for the title of Sunday Mail Great Scot of 2012.

Neil said:

‘The thought of Darcey sustained me. The pain was nothing compared to the difficulties my little girl has had to go through with type 1, living with injections of insulin and pinprick blood testing daily just to keep her alive. I knew that I could simply turn around and go back down but Darcey doesn’t have that choice. She has to deal with her situation every day forever until we get a cure.’

The training and exhibition were completely funded by Neil, which meant that all the money received through sponsorship and donations will go directly to supporting JDRF’s work.

Neil’s sponsor, Fifth Business, have put together a video about Neil’s Climbing for a Cure campaign.

Success of the Walk to Cure Diabetes Scotland event yesterday

Approximately 1,000 people came along to the Walk to Cure Diabetes in Scotland yesterday and JDRF would like to say a big thank you to all participants and supporters.

Unfortunately, the rain came down around lunchtime, but this didn’t deter our determined  supporters, and we would like to thank each and every one of you for your participation in the 10th annual Scotland Walk.

We would like to say a special thank you to the Morris family from Aberdeen, who took part along with over 170 relatives and friends.

 Both mother Lauren, and daughter Amy have been diagnosed with type 1, and ‘Team Amy’ were out in force, helping to raise awareness for type 1 and vital funds for JDRF.

We would also like to say a big thank you to Leo Koot and the staff at Taqa Bratani, for their wonderful support and fantastic fundraising efforts.   

We will have photos and more information soon, and are looking forward to the the Walk to Cure Midlands on the 30 September, South on the 30 September and London on the 7 October. 

Don't just talk the talk, Walk the Walk. Join JDRF's Walk to Cure Diabetes and help us take one step closer to the cure! Visit www.jdrf.org.uk/walk to register. We'd love to see you at one of these events.

JDRF welcomes the news that there is to be a £1.5 million boost in Scotland to provide more young people with insulin pumps. This is exciting news for young people with type 1 in Scotland. The funding will ensure more people have access to life-changing equipment such as insulin pumps, which can help people with type 1 to manage their condition effectively.

Scottish Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said the investment would help to ensure that a pledge to make insulin pumps available to 480 children and teenagers with type 1 diabetes is met by the end of March next year.

David Newman, Head of Public Affairs at JDRF said: “JDRF commends Scotland on leading the way on providing better access to insulin pumps. It is crucial that England and other regions follow suit. It is vital that people with type 1 can manage their condition and look after their health, whilst we search for the cure.

We are passionate about raising awareness of type 1 and are looking forward to hosting our first ever lobbying event, Type 1 Parliament. On 25 April we will push for greater investment into type 1 diabetes medical research.” 

Neil McDonald, 42 from Aberdeen, is to climb Mount Everest and raise over £100,000 for JDRF.

Neil’s epic challenge is inspired by his daughter Darcey, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes three years ago. Motivated by how bravely Darcey coped with her condition and having seen the daily test type 1 diabetes placed upon his daughter and family, Neil decided he wanted to match this with an act of equal challenge, while also generating serious funds for JDRF.

Placing fundraising at the heart of his climb, Neil set an ambitious target of raising £100,000, with every penny of donations received going to JDRF. His wife, Linzie, has been spear-heading the fund-raising efforts and put on a highly successful James Bond themed ball which generated £83,000 in a single night.

In addition to fundraising, Neil has been training hard for the challenge, including summiting Europe’s highest peak Mont Blonc and Aconcagua, the highest mountain in South America. Neil has spent every available moment training and getting his body and mind fit for the challenge.

Linzie says: “This is important for Neil and for Darcey – for all of us. It has galvanised our family and made us all feel a little less helpless, a little less intimidated by type 1 and a lot closer together in achieving this goal.”

Neil, Linzie and Darcey have also featured in an STV News piece, documenting Neil’s momentous challenge and Darcey’s condition. This can be viewed here news.stv.tv/scotland/north/302532-father-takes-on-mount-everest-to-raise-awareness-of-type-1-diabetes/

To date, over £108,000 has been raised to support research to cure, treat and prevent type 1 diabetes. We are incredibly grateful to Neil and Linzie and all those who have donated funds to the McDonalds. All funds received allow us to support more research and take us a step closer to finding the cure. If you wish to donate to the McDonald’s fundraising effort visit ww.justgiving.com/climbingforacure.

We wish Neil the best of luck for his epic challenge, and Neil’s blog and more details can be found here: www.climbingforacure.co.uk

JDRF welcomes the news that all eligible under eighteens with type 1 diabetes in Scotland will now have access to insulin pumps. The Scottish Government has said it is committing funding of at least £1 million to help NHS Boards deliver pumps to under eighteens who need them, as well as tripling the amount of pumps available to all people with the condition in Scotland.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon made the announcement saying, ‘Insulin pumps mean freedom from having multiple insulin jabs a day - giving Scotland's youngest diabetics a normal childhood. By the end of March 2013, this treatment will be made available to the 480 children and teens struggling with type 1 diabetes who could benefit from it. Over the next three years, NHS Boards will also increase the number of insulin pumps available to all Scots to 2,000, tripling the current amount.

‘Diabetes is a growing problem for Scotland - around 10 per cent per cent of overall hospital expenditure relates to diabetes treatment and complications. Not dealing effectively with diabetes can cause long term health problems and we need to make sure that the youngest people with type 1 diabetes get the best possible treatment as early as possible.’

Karen Addington, Chief Executive of JDRF said: ‘This is good news for young people with type 1 in Scotland. Insulin pump therapy can help people manage their condition more effectively and reduce the risk of the devastating long term complications of type 1.

JDRF is focused on improving lives, until we find the cure, and we have been campaigning for some time for improved access to pumps. We are delighted that Scotland is taking the lead in providing excellent treatment for people with type 1 and we hope to see similar improvements across the rest of the UK in the future.’

Access to insulin pumps improves in Scotland

JDRF is delighted that the government in Scotland has recognised the need for the greater uptake of insulin pumps. We feel it’s vital that people with type 1 diabetes have access to the medicines and equipment that help them to stay healthy and manage their condition effectively whilst we search for the cure.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said, ‘The pumps can mean freedom from having multiple injections a day, and, for the youngest diabetics, can go some way to giving them back a normal childhood. I want to see insulin pumps made available to 25 per cent of children and teens with type 1 diabetes by 2013. We will also increase the number of pumps available to all Scots to over 2,000 - almost tripling the current amount over the next three years. 

‘Diabetes is a growing problem for NHS Scotland. It’s now thought that around 10 per cent per cent of overall hospital expenditure relates to the treatment of diabetes and its complications.

‘The consequences of not dealing effectively with diabetes can cause long term health problems and we need to make sure that the youngest people with type 1 diabetes get the treatment that’s right for them as early as possible.’

These plans were announced as part of the Diabetes Action Plan, which was published in August of this year. You can read the full report here.

JDRF works hard to raise awareness of the issues people with type 1 diabetes face and to ensure they have access to the best treatments and equipment to manage their condition. You can read about the campaigning work we do in more detail here.

Type 1 diabetes fundraiser nominated for Champion Award

Well done to Neil McDonald for his nomination in this year's Evening Express Aberdeen's Champion Awards. We are delighted that the tremendous effort he has put into his ‘Climb for a Cure’ campaign has been recognised in the charity section. So far the campaign has raised £106,000 in aid of JDRF and the type 1 diabetes research we fund. Good luck Neil!

Please support Neil and vote for him by calling 0901 736 2734 and voting for 017 or texting EE Champion 017 to 83070. See local press for text charges. Lines close midnight on Sunday 23rd October.

JDRF chosen as Aker Qserv’s Charity of the Year

Aker Qserv has announced it will work with JDRF as its Charity of the Year to boost fundraising activities in support of our search for the cure for type 1 diabetes.

Aker Qserv’s employees have already been playing their part to help raise money for JDRF. 25 volunteers took part in the Scotland Walk to Cure Diabetes 2010 in Hazlehead Park, along with seven pupils from Portlethen Primary School and three parents. In total, an impressive £6,200 was raised for JDRF.

Alastair Brookes, Development Manager for JDRF in Scotland, said: ‘We are delighted to have been chosen as Aker Qserv’s Charity of the Year in 2011. I’m confident that we can work together to raise a significant amount of money for research to find the cure for type 1 diabetes and look forward to being part of this exciting partnership.’

Aker Qserv Operational Director for Process and Pipeline, Graeme Wood, who has been actively involved in the fundraising so far, said: ‘Aker Qserv is very proud to be sponsoring such a worthwhile cause and will do its upmost to raise as much as possible to help aid the research into finding the cure for type 1 diabetes.’

Free Wood Group lunches aid type 1 diabetes research

During the Christmas period Wood Group provided free lunches in return for charitable donations in support of JDRF and the type 1 diabetes research we fund. We are delighted to announce that the event was a huge success and raised an impressive £1130.40. Thank you so much to all who contributed!