22 August 2024
A Young Diabetic’s Epic Cycle: Otis and Dad’s Journey from Land’s End to John o’ Groats Raises Over £3,000 for Southampton Hospitals Charity
On his eleventh birthday in 2021, Otis Cave was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and has been under the care of the Paediatric diabetes team at University Hospital Southampton for the last 3 years.
To express his gratitude to UHS for their support in managing his condition, Otis, along with his father Toby, who works in the UHS IT department, cycled from Land’s End to John o’ Groats raising an incredible amount of money along the way!
We heard from Otis and here’s what he said about his fundraising efforts:
“If before hand we had thought too much about the whole journey and challenges which lay ahead we may never have started. Instead we took things one day at a time and solved the problems as they came up. This started with the heat and hills of Cornwall, then finding our way around blocked paths in the midlands, then the cold, wet and windy weather in Scotland.
One of the hardest days was close to the end where dad planned a route right through the Highlands in Scotland to avoid the A9. It involved climbing a mountain in the rain where I struggled to keep my blood sugar normal.
The thing that kept us going was the support. Firstly from the UHS paediatric diabetes team who advised us on insulin pump settings, diet and arranged for us to pick up a new blood glucose sensor from Manchester Royal Infirmary. We also had loads of support from family and friends on social media and phone calls, my sister sent me pictures of Bertie our cat. I was also determined not to be beaten by diabetes and to show other people with type 1 diabetes that they can do things like this.
Cycling the last bit to John o Groats was an amazing feeling, we could see the sign post in the distance and kept saying to ourselves, it looks like we’re actually going to finish this. I feel very proud of my dad too.
If I was going to give any advice to others planning a similar fundraising activity, I think I’d tell them just to do it, don’t get bogged down in the details.
Thanks again to all those who supported and sponsored me.”
We are so proud of everything Otis and Toby have achieved, raising a wonderful £3190.00 for Southampton Hospitals Charity.
If you would like to donate to Otis’ fundraising you can do so here https://www.justgiving.com/page/diabetic-on-a-bike