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‘I welcome JDRF's Type 1 Parliament event, which puts the spotlight on type 1 diabetes. It provides the opportunity for people living with this unavoidable autoimmune condition to have their voices heard in Parliament,’ said the Prime Minister, David Cameron ‘I enthusiastically support JDRFs research programme, which aims to better treat, prevent and ultimately find the cure for type 1 diabetes.’

Today 60 children and adults with type 1 diabetes will be in the Houses of Parliament lobbying their MPs. They will take a message about the need for a greater investment in type 1 medical research to the heart of government.

Throughout the morning the children and adults will be meeting with more than 70 MPs to discuss what living with type 1 diabetes is like, and explain what a cure would mean to them.

They will then attend a panel debate where they will be able to challenge the Minister of State for Universities and Science, David Willetts, and other panellists on the lack of research funding and many other questions.

With JDRF’s flagship lobbying event Type 1 Parliament quickly approaching, we’re delighted to see many of you have been working hard to get type 1 mentioned in the media. Congratulations and thank you to all of you who have contacted the media and achieved coverage so far.

Alex Newman received excellent coverage, pictured alongside his MP Tony Baldry, in the Banbury Guardian: http://www.banburyguardian.co.uk/news/local/alex_nine_set_to_speak_to_parliament_about_diabetes_1_3506132

Emma Bailey was featured in The News in Portsmouth: 
http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/health/local-health/leigh_park_youngsters_diabetes_funding_row_goes_to_parliament_1_3575015

Kaye Sparrow gained coverage in the Wigan Evening Post:
http://www.wigantoday.net/news/local-news/brave_kaye_heads_to_parliament_1_4297594

While Lily Devereux appeared on page 8 in South East London magazine, The Transmitter:
http://issuu.com/thetransmitter/docs/thetransmitterissue22

As well as the online coverage, there have been some great print pieces in newspapers. Oliver Lack received brilliant coverage in the Richmond and Twickenham Times, with Oliver pictured alongside his MP Zac Goldsmith; Gracie Spandler featured in the Wharfedale & Aireborough Observer; Emily appeared with her Mum, Laura and sister, Katie in the Salisbury Journal; Danielle Sellers gained coverage in the Yorkshire Evening Post; brother and sister Jack and Chloe Gillum featured in the Shropshire Star; Danielle Sellers appeared alongside her children Elizabeth and James in the Wetherby Boston Spa & Tadcaster News; while George Dove gained coverage in the Mansfield Chad, in addition to many more of you.

Thank you to all of you for your fantastic work in attracting media attention and in raising awareness of type 1 diabetes and our lobbying day. If you have not already been successful at contacting your local media, then please do spread the word by telling your local newspaper, radio or television station about the day.

Even if you’re not coming along to Type 1 Parliament, you can still get involved. This event offers an invaluable opportunity to raise awareness of type 1 and the need for greater investment in research. This is a great chance to contact your local media and share your experiences of living with type 1 diabetes.

If you need any help or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the communications team on 0207 713 2030/comms@jdrf.org.uk. Good luck!

On 25 April 2012, JDRF will hold its first ever Type 1 Parliament, a lobbying event at the Houses of Parliament where children and adults will ask the Government to work with JDRF and increase investment in research to cure, treat and prevent type 1 diabetes.

We have been overwhelmed by the staggering response to our invitation to apply to attend, and wanted to let everyone who has entered know that they should have received a letter confirming whether or not they have a place at the event. We also want to say a massive thank you to everyone who continues to work so hard to support our mission to cure type 1 diabetes and to encourage everyone to get involved with raising awareness in the run up to Type 1 Parliament.

Over 200 people applied for the 60 available places, and judges Adrian Sanders MP, Caroline Horwood, Diabetes Division Director at Healthcare company Sanofi and JDRF Chief Executive Karen Addington met in Parliament for the almost impossible task of selecting the 2012 delegates. We’d like to say thank you to Adrian, Caroline, Platinum Sponsors Sanofi, and also to Philip Dunn MP and Caroline Noakes MP, for their support of Type 1 Parliament.

Co-Chairs
Thirteen-year-old George Dove from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire has been chosen as Co-Chair of the lobbying event. George works tirelessly to spread the word about what it’s like living with type 1 diabetes. He was recently named Nottingham’s Young Person of the Year and since becoming involved with the charity has raised a staggering £35,000 to support research into the condition. Having spoken publicly about living with type 1 diabetes and why he supports JDRF in his mission to find the cure, George is well equipped to co-chair the type 1 Parliament event.

Sixteen year old Amy Wilton from Fareham, Hampshire will join George as Co-Chair of the event. Amy is a T1 Youth Ambassador who has represented JDRF by speaking at many of the charity's events including research Discovery Days and Walks to Cure Diabetes. Amy’s family does the Walk to Cure Diabetes each year too. Her mother Carole also plucked up the courage and participated in a sponsored sky dive with a friend to raise money to support JDRF’s vital research into finding the cure. Finally, in 2009 Amy travelled to Washington DC to be part of JDRF’s US Children’s Congress as the UK delegate.

Whether or not you are attending Type 1 Parliament, there is a lot that you can do to put type 1 diabetes research on the political map! Click here to see how you can get involved.

This morning The Daily Mail and The Guardian reported that the number of people being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes has increased by fifty percent in the last five years due to rising levels of obesity in the UK.

Whilst reporting on the growing number of adults being diagnosed with type 2, the article said that more children than ever are being diagnosed with the condition, whereas in the past it was usually only seen in adults. Figures suggest up to 1,400 children now have type 2 diabetes. These figures are cause for serious concern, but it should also be noted that incidence of type 1 diabetes is rising by 4% year on year, and faster in children under the age of five. In fact, there are over 26,000 children in the UK currently living with type 1 diabetes. With such a high number of young people being diagnosed with the condition, we feel its important to recognise the impact type 1 is having on the young population of Britain.

Although there is a government and media focus on the obesity agenda, JDRF is committed to keeping attention on type 1 diabetes, presenting the facts about the autoimmune condition, highlighting that it isn’t caused by lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise as type 2 diabetes can sometimes be.

You may have heard about the Type 1 Parliament event we are planning for April 2012. JDRF is giving 60 adults and children with type 1 the chance to have their say about the issues and challenges they face to MPs and government officials at Westminster. If you’re passionate about making a difference and want to raise awareness of the condition, why not get involved by applying to attend. The competition closes at midnight on Monday 31 October, so be sure to get your entry in before then. You can apply here