DRWF Fundraising: Cardiff Half Marathon runners supporting people living with diabetes raise £15,580
Thirty runners took part in the Cardiff Half Marathon in support of DRWF.
DRWF was very pleased to cheer on 30 runners as they hit the pavement in support of the charity at the recent Cardiff Half Marathon.
They were among 29,000 runners taking on the 13.1-mile course around the Welsh capital on what was a glorious day on 4th October.
Collectively, the team of runners supporting DRWF has so far raised £15,580 through their individual fundraising pages with support from friends, families and colleagues, including many who cheered them on during the day.
The DRWF runners had different reasons to support the charity, from living with the condition themselves, to supporting a loved one, or in memory. Many of the runners shared their personal stories on their fundraising donation pages:
Millie Hagan, who ran in honour of her little sister, Everli, 11, who was recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, said: “Life for Everli is now a lot more complicated with injections for every meal and checks before doing any sort of sport. She handles it all with a strength that honestly amazes me.
“Every step I run is for her and for the hope that one day there will be better treatments and, ultimately, a cure.”
Thomas Mason, whose mother and grandmother are living with type 1 diabetes, said: “I chose to support DRWF as it is an organisation very close to my heart. Growing up, seeing the struggle and the impact diabetes has on the people around me, I have learned a lot throughout the years about how the condition affects people in different ways and know how to help in difficult situations when having an episode.”
Jess Clark said: “This cause is very personal to me. My close friend’s son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes soon after his fifth birthday. Seeing what he had to go through on a daily basis at such a young age was heartbreaking. Now aged nine he has a glucose monitor and insulin pump, so thankfully he faces fewer daily injections and finger-prick tests, and this has made a massive difference. I am so proud of him, he just takes everything in his stride.”
Gemma Slawson, whose son Phoenix was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes almost four years ago, said: “The first month we found particularly hard, I found it very hard to navigate getting my head around, with no family around us, we just had get on with our new normal.
“With that, we were thrown into a world of constant checking of glucose levels, treating hypos [or hypoglycaemia, low blood glucose] and hypers [or hyperglycaemia, high blood glucose] each day, planning/monitoring activities he may do from PE to playing for his rugby team, not to mention the endless supply of medication… as well as the few sleepless nights in the week where he is too low to sleep and needs to get his [blood glucose] levels stable, a side no one sees unless they are exposed to type 1 diabetes first-hand.
“Four years down the road, Phoenix amazes us every day, He is expert at looking after himself and he does not let type 1 diabetes define him. Phoenix carries on like any other 14-year-old teenager from playing rugby for Aberaeron RFC under 15’s, to mountain biking with his friends.”
Pictured: DRWF runners Steve Rowland and Lorna Edwards
Chloe English, who ran in memory of her best friend of nearly 20 years, Jessica Brookes, said: “On 9th August, Jess passed away very suddenly due to diabetic ketoacidosis, a serious complication linked to her type 1 diabetes. She was 31 years old, with so much life still ahead of her. Jess took incredible care in managing her diabetes.
“You always think there is more time. More time to say things, more trips to plan, more memories to make. Losing Jess was a painful reminder that time is never guaranteed. I miss her every single day, but she will never be forgotten.”
Anastasiia Kudashova said: “I was surprised to learn that I had pre-diabetes after what was supposed to be a routine health check. Suddenly, the puzzle of ongoing health struggles started to make sense. All those little signs and signals we learn to ignore finally had an explanation. I immediately sought medical help, and the quality of my life improved significantly. One of the biggest changes was finally getting my energy back and breaking through the wall I had been hitting every time I trained to run 5km.
“With the right help, I finally saw that 5km appear on my fitness watch. I could not help but cry from happiness, of course, but also from relief and a profound sense of gratitude. That experience showed me just how important early detection and research are in preventing diabetes.”
Siblings Mia and Noah Debattista ran together, in support of their father, who is living with type 1 diabetes. Noah said: “This cause is deeply personal, and I have seen first-hand the daily challenges it brings. By running, I want to celebrate his strength, highlight the importance of research, and contribute to a future where managing diabetes is easier and healthier for everyone.”
Kerry Chambers, Community Engagement Fundraiser at DRWF, said: “Our 30 Cardiff Half Marathon runners have shown outstanding commitment and generosity, raising £15,580 for DRWF. Their support will help us continue funding vital research, education and wellness initiatives that improve the lives of people living with diabetes.”
The DRWF runners were in good company on the day, as some well-known names also taking part included Olympics gold medallist athlete Dame Kelly Holmes, ex-Wales rugby prop Adam Jones and ex-Wales football captain Aaron Ramsey.
The women’s race had a new course record set as Joyciline Jepkosgei of Kenya crossed the finish line with a time of 1 hour 5 minutes 40 seconds, followed by Ethiopian duo Wede Kefale and Tigist Tesema in second and third place respectively.
Jepkosgei, herself a former world record holder for the distance, beat a long-standing time set by Edith Chelimo in 2017.
The men’s event was won by Gideon Kiprotich of Kenya, with a time of 59 minutes 43 seconds ahead of last year’s winner Yismaw Dillu of Ethiopia, with Bahrain’s Jonah Rutio coming in third place.
The men's wheelchair race was won by Sam Kolek of Poland, while Mel Nicholls won the women's event.
Sign up to run for DRWF at the Cardiff Half Marathon 2027
More information and details about how to secure your place for the upcoming event set for Sunday, 3rd October 2027 here
How you can get involved in DRWF Fundraising here
See all upcoming fundraising events for DRWF here
Read more about DRWF-funded research here
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