Two Goondiwindi ladies are taking on a 100 kilometre trek in an effort to make the diabetes journey a little easier for their loved ones.
This October, Peta Collett and Tanya McGovern will spend a week walking 20 kilometres a day along the Great Ocean Road in the hopes of raising $3700 for Diabetes Queensland.
”We wanted to make a difference and give back to a great cause whilst raising awareness about an increasing condition,” the pair said in a statement. Peta’s son and Tanya’s husband both have type one diabetes.
"Every day we help our loved ones with diabetes and through this walk we can help many others make their journey a little easier through supporting Diabetes Queensland,” they said.
Peta and Tanya are dedicated to raising awareness and feel the more diabetes is discussed, the better educated the general public will become.
“I know before our son was diagnosed 12 months ago with type one, I was very unaware and uneducated as to what was involved with treating diabetes,” Peta said.
“I thought ‘What’s the big deal, don’t you just give yourself an injection and away you go?’ Oh, how very wrong I was.”
Peta said she now understands the full extent of the challenge for those with diabetes and their loved ones.
“From carb counting to the emotional rollercoaster of hypos and hypers. How many of the general public would know if someone was having a low or hypo and how to treat it if they came across someone on the street?” she said.
There are many ways locals can help support Peta and Tanya’s efforts, with the pair selling merchandise outside Lucy Walker Pharmacy on March 24. They will walk the main street with raffle tickets and 100s boards every fortnight.
Locals are also invited to take part in Go Green for Diabetes Day on Friday, July 13. Businesses are invited to contact Peta and Tanya to collect a donation bucket for the date.
The Great Ocean Road Trek challenges participants to raise a minimum of $1250 each for Diabetes Queensland; with all expenses, including flights and hiking supplies, coming from the individual’s own pocket.
“We would like to thank everyone that has brought tickets and made donations so far, we truly appreciate it,” they said.
Peta and Tanya have already begun regular walks in preparation, but will increase their training as the event approaches.
“We will travel to places where the walking trails have inclines and be more challenging than the Macintyre River Walk,” they said.
To donate or learn more, visit the pair’s Everyday Hero page and their Facebook page.
There are many different forms of diabetes, including type one, type two and gestational. Type one is when the pancreas fails to make insulin and cannot be reversed. Type two occurs when the pancreas is resistant to insulin. A change in lifestyle can help.
To learn more about hypoglycemia, visit the Diabetes Australia website. For a free resource for meal planning, diabetes news and health articles, download the Diabetes Australia app.
