Julie’s story: making a difference with Swim22

In early 2023, I noticed my son Thomas was getting thinner at first but, being 14 years old, we thought he was having a growth spurt. However, soon after we noticed he was incredibly thirsty, tired and was frequently visiting the toilet – the 4Ts. After a visit to the GP, his diagnosis of type 1 diabetes was confirmed and we were sent to the hospital where his blood glucose levels were very high, with ketones present. 

"I remember thinking to myself that week, if I could give him my pancreas, I would – it’s what any parent would think. A few weeks later, the doctor said if my son’s diabetes had gone undetected any longer, he could have become seriously unwell."

Just 18 months later, I noticed my husband had similar symptoms but less obvious. I suspected that he had diabetes too and it took a little time to convince him to visit the GP – he was diagnosed at the age of 50. 

When Thomas’ diagnosis happened, the whole family were quite shocked and frightened, but we all worked hard together to learn all about diabetes and how to look after it. It’s safe to say we were a little stunned and apprehensive about the future.

Our local paediatric team were our lifeline – they were so patient and understanding in getting us through the first difficult year and beyond.  Within the first hour or two of my son’s diagnosis, we were armed with an array of training resources – while it was overwhelming with so much to absorb, no question was silly to the nurses or dietician and they didn’t mind explaining things two, three or even four times! In the days that followed, then came the hypos.

Initially they were scary, but as time went by, Thomas learned how to take these occurrences in his stride and worked hard to treat them. This still takes much thought and needs constant conscious effort every day. 

"Overall, he grasped looking after his diabetes really well – he has never complained and has always maintained a positive attitude."

When my husband was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, the shock and worry naturally returned but if we dare say, we felt better equipped. Right away my husband wanted to make a positive impact on diabetes research and signed up to take part in medical research trials at our local university. 

The impact of diabetes on our lives has been a whirlwind, to say the least. I didn’t sleep well for at least two years worrying about blood glucose levels, my son’s future, supporting my husband, checking the continuous glucose monitor 

(CGM) and dealing with alarms through the night. We all felt this way. We’ve always been a close family, but I think this whole experience has brought us even closer – we all look out for each other.

Sometimes well-meaning comments and questions can make me sad. Things like ‘Have things now settled down with the diabetes?’ I used to start explaining a little about diabetes and that it requires around-the-clock attention with different situations impacting blood sugars, but now I just answer ‘Yes’ to move the conversation on. 

"When you’re not affected by diabetes, I do understand that it can be difficult to perceive that diabetes is not like most common colds that will disappear in time."

In all fairness, I had no idea myself before Thomas’ diagnosis and I would have most likely asked the same questions out of curiosity and genuine concern.

Travelling abroad has felt a little tricky at times, especially when making our way through airport security. I felt a bit rushed when trying to separate out equipment that can’t go through the X-ray machines and having to explain why, despite showing our letter for travel from the NHS. 

Thomas uses his CGM alongside his hybrid closed loop insulin pump to manage his diabetes. Moving from insulin pens and finger pricks to an insulin pump was great – it gave my son a little more freedom with his diabetes management by taking some of the thinking away from his day. He no longer feels embarrassed injecting insulin in public to eat even the smallest things. He’s also experiencing less hypos than before as the pump recognises downward trends in blood glucose and automatically suspends ‘background’ insulin to help decrease the chance of his blood sugar getting too low, among other features.

"I often look at Diabetes UK’s website and find the information there very informative and interesting – I can really place my trust in it for information and guidance. I’ve found some easy and tasty recipes for all the family too."

I’m particularly interested in the articles about the medical research projects – I’m fascinated by the Type 1 Grand Challenge research that Diabetes UK is funding in collaboration with other charities.

Diabetes UK inspired me to take on the Swim22 challenge because of the fabulous work they do for all those affected by diabetes. The charity’s mission statement, ‘A world where diabetes can do no harm’, really resonates with me. I found Swim22 on the fundraising section of the website and thought it would be something I’d be really excited to do – helping raise funds for something so close to my heart. 

The summer after my son’s diagnosis, we’d gone on a family holiday to Ibiza and while splashing about in the swimming pool, I was having a moment to myself feeling useless over my son’s diagnosis, but the water reminded me that I read something about Swim22 on Diabetes UK’s website. I’ve always loved swimming since I was a toddler. I’m pretty rubbish at all sports and remember that I was picked last at school for any team, but I could always swim.

Having not swum on a regular basis for many years, I wondered if I could build up some fitness and be able to swim the 11-mile challenge initially. When I returned from the holiday, I decided to start training at my local swimming pool to see if I could build up some stamina for the challenge. A few months in I realised that if I kept it up, I could push myself to swim the equivalent of the whole English Channel – so I re-set my challenge to 22 miles!

"My family were right behind me and encouraged me to go ahead so I contacted Diabetes UK to get a fundraiser pack and started to collect sponsors. It was a really easy process and the team on the phone at Diabetes UK were so friendly and helpful."

I’m not on social media myself, so I decided to send my fundraising page on WhatsApp to essentially everyone in my phone address list. It took some time, but I was really excited to be doing something to help support the charity and raise awareness. I think reaching out to everyone individually was a great way to raise funds. I’m so grateful to all my lovely family and friends for their fabulous generosity – I feel very humbled.

The journey

I decided to swim one mile each time and surprised myself by completing the challenge in six and a half weeks. 

"I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience and on a personal level – I felt fitter, more supple and was sleeping better too."

Each time I stepped into the swimming pool, I would kick off the side for my first length of the morning and would repeat the mission statement in my head to spur me on.

I enjoyed ticking each mile on my fundraising chart, which I put up in my kitchen and also on my personal fundraising page. I received a great medal, a tote bag and a gorgeous swim towel along the way when I reached particular milestones with my fundraising. Since completing the challenge, my mum has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at the age of 81. For me, all the more reason for raising funds for the vital research into treatments and more for all people affected by diabetes.

"If anyone is considering taking part in the next Swim22, I would say, please, please do – set yourself a challenge and make a difference. Get all your friends, family, colleagues and neighbours involved. You can surprise yourself by what you can achieve and also be so amazed at people’s generosity."

If I were to describe the challenge in three words, it would be exciting, positive and hopeful – it’s something special to be involved in a challenge like this that’s fuelling research, therapies and a possible cure for diabetes in the future, and much more. 

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Reach out for support

If you are affected by the topics highlighted within this story or other stories on our website, you can access support from our helpline team on 0345 122 2399, Mon- Fri, 9am- 6pm, or email helpline@diabetes.org.uk.

You can join our free forum – to connect with others affected by diabetes (minimum age 13). For more information, see our forum FAQs.

For those aged 11-25 living with type 1 diabetes, check out our youth programme Together Type 1 for a supportive community of people who understand what it’s really like juggling the ups and downs of life with diabetes.