Route Hunt Supports Diabetes UK Northern Ireland
Front left Naomi Brown Diabetes UK Northern Ireland fund raising manager, front right Joint hunt master Ian Holmes, back left events organiser Norma Wilkinson, back right junior hunt member Rachel Kelly.
The annual Route equestrian ball took place in February and this year the charity receiving a donation from the event was DIABETES UK Northern Ireland. Thanks to the generosity of those who had supplied items for the raffle and to those who purchased raffle tickets and gave donations event organiser Norma Wilkinson and Joint Hunt Master Ian Holmes were able to present a cheque for £1000 to Naomi Brown the fundraising manager for Diabetes UK Northern Ireland. When decisions were being made as to which charity should benefit from the ball in 2014 committee member Hazel Kelly proposed Diabetes as her daughter Rachel Kelly who is 17 and a junior hunt member lives with diabetes. Rachel was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes aged 10 which meant that she had to give herself 4 insulin injections every day as her body had stopped producing insulin. As well as insulin injections blood sugars have to be monitored daily by checking a blood sample. As well as food and drink intake, exercise, changes in temperature, stress, hormonal changes and infections even a simple cold all have an affect on blood sugars. This all means that for someone living with Type 1 diabetes care and attention has to be given to things that people without diabetes do without any thought to prevent low blood sugars which can results in unconsciousness or high blood sugars which can lead to ketoacidosis when the blood becomes acidic and treatment in hospital with intravenous fluids and insulin are required to bring sugars back into control. As well as Type 1 diabetes being on the increase Type 2 diabetes is also on the increase . In Type 2 diabetes the body doesn’t produce sufficient insulin to convert carbohydrates to energy. In this case daily oral medication is required as well as a change in diet so that the body can cope with food intake.Without the correct care diabetics are more likely to suffer from heart conditions and poor eye sight and amputations can be necessary because of poor blood sugar control. While at present there isn’t a cure for diabetes, Diabetes UK Northern Ireland are continually doing research to find a cure and with each donation received they are one step closer to finding a cure. By a simple urine or blood test it can be confirmed if someone is diabetic so next time you are at your doctor’s surgery it is worthwhile getting checked out so that medication can be prescribed if necessary.
For further details about joining the Route Hunt ,where you will be able to exercise your horse and enjoy the countryside of the north coast as well as supporting charity, please contact the Hunt Secretary (Julie Smyth 07793209899)
