July was the month of our 48th Changeover lunch. We were joined by Shirley, our National President and Leonie, the Zone 2 President, several Scope friends from Ballina and Wynnum and representatives of community organisations whom we support. It was good to see Val and Doug from Stanthorpe, however for the first time in 24 years Jenny P from Ballina was unable to attend.
Our guest speaker was Hayley Mason who had addressed the Allora club about her family’s involvement with Type 1 Diabetes (TID) at a recent monthly meeting. Her husband Max accompanied her to lunch, as well as their friends Emma and James, who have a daughter with TID and who are joining the Masons in their Road to Research ride. In her after lunch address Hayley briefly out-lined what she called the ‘daily burden’ of diabetic management, undertaken by both child and family. Many decisions about energy needs, stress levels, diet, physical and mental fitness must be considered daily, often with senses clouded by high or low blood-sugar levels. It was good to hear more about their fund-raising scheme ‘Road to Research’ and how their plans are progressing. There are now eight cyclists in training for the ride from Lourdes in France to Lords Cricket ground in London was dreamed up by Max and his friend Sir Ian Botham. The funds raised will be donated to an umbrella organisation ‘Breakthrough TID’ which fund research into an actual cure for the disease. The ride commences on 1st September and aims to finish on the 16th.
