Granddad starts fundraising for diabetes charity

A grandfather who lost his wife to diabetes has started a fundraising campaign for diabetes charity .
Mick Russell, of West Bromwich, suffered heartache in 2006 when his wife, Tina, died aged 41 following a 20-year battle with type 1 diabetes.
She was diagnosed with the lifelong disease in the late 1980s. She lived a relatively normal life until her condition deteriorated, causing her to spend the last six years of her life in and out of hospital .
Mr Russell recently received more bad news after learning that his eight-year-old grandson Tyler, from Walsall, had also developed diabetes.
“It was complete shock, we thought we had gone through that horror struggle in our lives but now we might have to go through it again,” he said.
“At least he is more aware of what happened. He has already said he is determined not to go to sleep like nan.”
The 51-year-old granddad has now started raising funds for Diabetes UK, Britain’s leading diabetes charity .
He held the first of a series of music fundraising nights last week at The Wheatsheaf Pub in Carters Gree, West Bromwich. The night, which marked his 51st birthday, generated £250, and Mr Russell is aiming to raise a further £750 from his music events for charity .
“Diabetes is so under estimated,” he said. “It does not get the same publicity as some of the other major diseases but it can be a killer.”