Dad makes marathon effort to support diabetic schoolgirl

A father-of-two will take to the streets of Manchester this Spring in an effort to raise money for a schoolgirl who suffers from type 1 diabetes.
Nine-year-old Keira Diavati was fitted with an insulin pump in 2011 to help her control her blood glucose levels. The pump, which is attached to her stomach, means activities are severely limited to prevent the device from becoming detached or damaged.
Andrew Wagner, heard about Keira from his wife, Lucy, who is a lunchtime supervisor at the school she attends in Copthorne, Shrewsbury.
After hearing her story, the former town councillor decided he wanted to help support Keira with her day-to-day management of diabetes by running the Manchester Marathon in April.
But instead of giving money to a diabetes charity, the funds raised will instead be used to help buy her a diabetes detection dog.
These specially trained animals are able to recognise signs of very low or high blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia) in their diabetic owners and take action to prevent a medical emergency. However, they cost thousands of pounds and the waiting lists for one are often very long.
“When I realised that diabetic detection dogs existed I thought of Keira and how much better her life could be by having a four legged friend and a 24-hour detection alarm,” said Andrew, who last undertook a full marathon more than two years ago.
His wife Lucy added: “It’s great in which running this maratho, which is a personal achievement of my husbands, will help this lovely little girl that endures such a terrible time due to this lifelong illness.
“The dogs cost an awful lot of money and although Keira will be eligible for one due to the severity of her illness and her age, we still need to find the money needed. This run will really get us off to a great start and I have other fundraising activities planned throughout the year.”