LIVINGLIVING
Two diabetics and a doctor took on Pen-y-Fan in Wales's
Brecon Beacons and lived to tell us their tale.
SOCIAL CLIMBERS
Paul Coker and Peter
Davies headed to a cold
and snowy Pen-y-Fan,
in the Brecon Beacon's
in November last year
to mark their combined 100 years of living
with Type 1 diabetes. Coker (on the right
in the photos) is 44 years old and lives in
South Wales and has been living with Type
1 for 40 years. Davies is 62-years-old
and lives in Surrey and on Monday 28th
November 2016 he 'celebrated' living with
Type 1 diabetes for 60 years. The reason
they climbed Pen-y-Fan was to send an
encouraging message to young people
and young families who are directly affected
by Type 1 diabetes. Their message was:
"Don't let Type 1 stand in your way, you can
still take on the challenges you have always
dreamed of and achieve great things!"
The Pen-y-Fan achievement now
behind them, Coker is set to mark his 40th
'diaversary' by running 40 half marathons
during 2016/7, while Davies is finalising
plans for a high-altitude trek in the Peruvian
Rainbow Mountains in June 2017. Both
challenges are aimed at raising money for
worthy charities.
They were due to be joined by Colin
Rowland but he sustained an injury taking
part in the New York Marathon and could
not join. Rowland has had Type 1 diabetes
for 50 years, had he joined, the team's
combined experience of living with diabetes
would have been 150 years. Instead, at
short notice, they were joined by Suzi Hale
(centre), one of the doctors who supported
the three guys when they took part in the
JDRF Kilimanjaro challenge in 2014.
Sponsor Paul Coker's 40 half marathons
http://1bloodydrop.com/)