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Daily Record
13 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Record
Schoolboy to run 5k every week in memory of mum who died after 'horrific' diabetes battle
Adam Orr, 14, is taking on the challenge in memory of his mum, Pamela, who died at the age of 44 following a "horrific" battle with the disease. A selfless Scots schoolboy is set to run 5k every week throughout the school holidays in memory of his mum who died after a "horrific" battle with diabetes. Adam Orr, 14, from Tollcross in Glasgow, will put his best foot forward just a year after losing his beloved mum, Pamela, 44. The mum-of-three passed away on March 22, 2024, following a lengthy struggle with the chronic disease, which progressed from type one to type two. Adam's dad, Iain, 45, told the Record: "Pamela battled diabetes for years but for the last two years of her life, it was incredibly tough for all of us. We watched her health rapidly decline as the diabetes took over. "With just over a year since she passed, Adam came to me and told me he wanted to do something in her name and to raise awareness. It's incredibly brave and selfless of him considering it hasn't been long since he lost his mum and I'm very proud of him." Iain told how Pamela had been "in and out" of hospital for some time prior to her death. During her illness, she had both of her lower limbs amputated after having diabetic foot complications and ended up having a colostomy due to issues with her stomach. Sadly, Pamela passed away in hospital after suffering a fatal cardiac arrest. Adam intends to take on the running challenge in his hope to raise funds and awareness about diabetes, and to encourage others to look after their bodies. Iain said: "Pamela's health rapidly declined. At one point, we got her home but she ended up being admitted back to hospital again after she became unwell again. "Sadly, she ended up suffering a fatal cardiac arrest when she was in hospital and we lost her. It was a difficult journey for all of us. "Adam wants people to take their health seriously. Often, people will dismiss diabetes as being not that bad and they will continue to go about their daily lives. "Sadly, Pamela paid the price for that. We'd urge people to take warnings seriously - if you are told you are pre-diabetic, please listen to the doctors and do what they tell you to do. "It's a horrendous disease if you don't manage it, it eats away from your inside and starts breaking your kidneys down. Before you know it, your body is falling apart. That's basically what happened to Pamela. "If you don't manage diabetes, it will catch up with you and it will batter your body. We don't want that happening to anyone else." Adam will jog 5k every Friday from July 4 to raise funds for Diabetes Scotland. Meanwhile, Pamela has been remembered as a "great mum" with "such a big heart". Iain said: "She was all about her boys and was a great mum. Her life just revolved around her three sons. Pamela had such a huge heart and was always there for her nearest and dearest. "She was fun to be around and will always be missed. If we can raise just the slightest bit of awareness about this disease, it keeps her legacy alive."
Scottish Sun
18-05-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
I felt alone and isolated – finding this group helped me thrive
'We all need community to help us thrive in life' HAVING a good state of mind is all about building your community, according to the experts. This year Mental Health Awareness Week focuses on finding the right support in your own personal village, whether it's family or like-minded friends. 1 Eleanor Gould The idea of the week, which is run by Mental Health Foundation, is to celebrate how much people thrive when they have strong connections with other people. Today Eleanor Gould, 22, from Aberdeenshire opens up on finding a community of young people living with type 1 diabetes. As a teen she found her health issues isolating but linking up with others suffering from the condition was vital for her wellbeing, giving her a sense of belonging and purpose. WE all need community to help us thrive in life – supportive people around us to help one another, encourage us, work together, or simply have fun. Community is really important for our mental health and wellbeing which is why it's the focus of this year's Mental Health Awareness Week. The Mental Health Foundation, which runs the week, explains that community is a vital protective factor for our mental health as it gives us a sense of belonging, makes us feel safe, gives us purpose, and also valuable support. But what do you do if you are living with a long-term health condition and it feels like you are all on your own? I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when I was nine years old. At first it didn't really seem to impact my life but when I got to secondary school it felt much harder. The usual teenage challenges of growing up, navigating friendships and exam pressures were exacerbated by my condition which is largely invisible but is with me every minute of every day. There are no decisions in my life which don't include internal questions or calculations for managing my diabetes. Even going for a shower means I need to check my glucose levels to know if it's ok to disconnect my insulin pump. Loose Women's Frankie Bridge shares health update after speaking out on depression battle admitting 'I was questioning the point of life' A lot of people with type 1 diabetes will play it down somewhat but the truth is it's more overwhelming than people think. It is a relentless condition that can feel isolating if you can't talk to other people who really understand what it's like. Growing up I didn't know anyone else my age who was living with type 1 diabetes. Not being able to talk to another teenager about it was tough. My family and friends were, of course, very supportive but they couldn't really know how I felt, and it was also tiring having to explain things about the condition to them. When I was 17 I saw a post from the charity Diabetes Scotland inviting young people with type 1 diabetes to join its Young Leaders group. The first activity I participated in was volunteering at a Family Weekender event. It was amazing to be in a room where having type 1 diabetes was the norm. Throughout the whole weekend it was so refreshing to see people checking their glucose levels, injecting, treating hypos… all the things I had been doing for years and feeling like I was the only one. My next event was just with the Young Leaders who are all aged 16-25. It was such a weight off my mind to be able to chat to people my age about living with type 1 diabetes, knowing that we were all in this together. It was comforting to hear about their experiences which were so similar to mine. And we could all speak to each other in the same language, using short-hand terms for diabetes-related things and not having to explain what we mean. When we all had dinner together it was great that everyone around the table was checking their glucose levels and adjusting their insulin pumps or taking injections. When one of our group had a hypo, it was completely normal. We helped her but there was no panic or blowing things out of proportion which can sometimes happen when you're out with people who don't live with diabetes. People always mean well but it can be a bit embarrassing if they make a big deal about something like a hypo and it makes me feel like I'm under a spotlight when all I need is a bit of sugar and to sit for ten minutes. Finding a community of young people living with type 1 diabetes has been so good for my mental health and wellbeing. I am now part of the Together Type 1 community run by Diabetes Scotland. Not only am I getting support, but I can also support others. Aside from the events we check in on each other on social media and WhatsApp – it's such a comfort to know that we're all there for one another. To anyone else living with a long-term health condition, I really recommend seeking out a group of people or going on online support forums for people with the condition so you can talk to people who really understand. - The Mental Health Foundation has been running Mental Health Awareness Week for more than 20 years to normalise conversations for those at risk. For more information on mental health week log onto Meanwhile, for details of support available for people living with diabetes visit
