Acton Resident Walks the Great Wall of China

Helen Hudson will walk in aid of Diabetes UK

Enterprising and courageous Acton resident Helen Hudson is taking part in this year’s Walking the Great Wall of China on the 2nd June in aid of diabetes and to help raise money for Diabetes UK’s research fund.

Training for the Sponsored walk of the Great Wall of China is quite intensive and Helen is currently training an average 10 hours a  week. Although she does not suffer from Diabetes herself, she has trained in Nutrition and feels it is important to increase awareness of Diabetes which many people develop in later life.  

Helen told me her training involves a program set out by the Virgin Active Gym in the mornings and then a hour walking in my Lunch hour from work. "Now the weather is getting better I hope to be seen practicing in Acton Park."

She chose China for her run because she was fascinated to see how rural China has changed since she visited 22 years ago. "Raising money for Diabetes is my attempt to offset the cost to the environment of flying all that way."   Helen says the walk will take 7 days averaging 15 km a day. Given that most of the walk will be up and down stairs, with some scrambling where the stairs have disappeared, this will be quite taxing.  

Diabetes is a serious condition affecting almost three million people in the UK – up to 750,000 of these people do not know that they have the condition. Helen wants to play her part by raising money for research, and help find a cure – something which all people with diabetes, their families and friends dream about.  

Diabetes UK is one of the leading funders of diabetes research in the UK, spending about £6 million and funding over 200 research projects each year. If you would like to contribute towards Helen's effort - she hopes to raise at least £2,000 - the forms are in Vanilla in Churchfield Road.  

March 30, 2007