Parklane Plowden Clerk Travels to Parliament to Raise Awareness of Type 1 Diabetes

Civil clerk Laura Storr from Chapel Allerton, Leeds was selected by a global charity to speak about life with type 1 diabetes at a major House of Commons event.

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), a type 1 diabetes charity, chose Laura, who is 26 years old, to attend 'Type 1 Parliament', which took place on 11 March, 2014 and was supported by Platinum sponsors Lilly. She will be one of sixty adults and children who live with the condition and have been selected from across the country to represent their constituencies.

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic and challenging condition. The exact cause is unknown, but it is not linked to lifestyle or diet.  A child diagnosed with it at the age of five faces up to 19,000 insulin injections and 50,000 finger prick tests by the time they are 18.  The condition affects 400,000 people in the UK – equivalent to more than 600 people in every constituency – and incidence is growing rapidly, particularly in those under five years old.

Laura, upon finding out that she had been chosen by JDRF to attend the event commented:

“I was extremely excited to be selected to help raise awareness of the condition which affects thousands of people. By taking part of the Type 1 Parliament, I hope that the Government take notice of us Type 1 diabetics & look to invest more into looking for a cure so that we no longer have to inject 4 – 5 times a day or be connected to an insulin pump for nearly 24 hours a day. Being able to meet & explain to my MP Fabian Hamilton, how type 1 diabetes affects both my life as well as my friends & family as unless you know someone who is diabetic you don’t know the difficulties they face every day”

Laura was first diagnosed with the condition in 2003. She said: “being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes was a huge shock to both my mum & me. The main symptoms I showed were being tired, loss of appetite and drinking a lot of water..”

Karen Addington, Chief Executive of JDRF, said before the event: “Type 1 diabetes doesn’t have to hold you back in life. But it is a very challenging condition to live with. The Government must respond to increasing rates of type 1 diabetes in the UK by investing more in research to treat, prevent and cure the condition. That’s why we’re taking our message to Westminster in March.”