Jerry's Diabetes Page
I want to help those who have no access to insulin, test strips, local support groups, diabetic specialists – endocrinologists, doctors and nurses - diabetic camps, workshops, conferences and roadshows, local and national diabetes services and centres, and online resources such as websites, forums, podcasts, and social media. And to encourage those that do have access to such amazing tools to use them! Ultimately I want to convince and inspire diabetics across the World that we are all one family and that the BEST way to learn to deal with our own condition is by helping OTHER MEMBERS of our family. In this way we will understand and believe that ALL DIABETICS can live a full and productive life, and that truly DIABETES IS NOT AN EXCUSE!
This is my story.........but first here is a quick video:
Jerry's World!
JERRY'S INSULIN CHALLENGE
I am an insulin-dependent Type 1 Diabetic. Since my diagnosis in 2001 it has taken me most of the intervening 15 years to master this complicated condition. This involves up to 8 insulin injections and 6 blood sugar tests daily, weighing all my carbohydrates, and horrific mood swings and severe night time hypos that have reduced my family to tears on many occasions. Plus I need many expensive pieces of diabetic equipment totalling 6,000. Imagine what it is like living in a Third World Country where day to day survival is difficult, let alone dealing with something like Diabetes!
I wanted to help and so after a lot of research I have found a great charity - Insulin For Life (IFL) - http://www.insulinforlife.org/help that supports diabetics in such extreme situations. And so my quest began in 2009 to raise money to help young people with diabetes in emerging countries when I started my first Insulin Challenge - a series of World Class mountaineering challenges which require the athleticism and millimetre precision of Olympic standard gymnastics in an environment where a fall could be fatal. All the monies I raise go direct to diabetic charities including IFL, LFAC and A4D. For more details see below or visit my Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/JerrysInsulinChallenge
2009-11: The Ecrins XS Challenge - Success! The 4 hardest alpine rock walls, Southern French Alps. Monies raised: 6,000
In 2009 I set up my Ecrins XS Challenge to climb the four hardest alpine rock walls in the Southern French Alps requiring a glacier approach. It took me three years and I completed it in the summer of 2011. I climbed the following routes:
2009
- PAVE DANS LA MARE (ED+, FR.7B, 400M) - S. FACE PAVE PEAK (3824M.)
First British on the Highest and Hardest - Southern French Alps
- ALL FREE BRITISH ASCENT - N. FACE OF THE OLAN - ECRINS MASSIF, SOUTHERN FRENCH ALPS
2010
I did nothing this year as I was left partially paralysed and bed ridden following a mountain biking accident that compressed two of my vertebrae and an extremely painful nerve ending that gave me a horrible condition called Crualgie. I was on morphine and heavy painkillers right through until February 2011 when after a three month period of bed rest I finally got an injection of cortisone straight into my lower back. By March I was back up and running and started training in earnest in early May 2011.
2011
WAKANTANKA - 7C+ - East Face of Sialouze (3,575m.) 240m. Fr. 7c max, Fr. 6b oblige.
Bernard Coignard, JM De Robert, Jacques Perrier, Fred Roulx
First British Ascent - Jerry Gore and Giles Cornah
2012: The Northern Alps 3 hardest walls - Success! Divine Providence, N. Face of Eiger, and S. Face of Marmolada. All completed with different partners within 3 months. Monies raised: 11,000
2013: Wall of Paine; FA South Tower, Patagonia, Chile - Success! Twid Turner, Calum Muskett, Raphael Jochaud and myself climbed a new route on the largest unclimbed wall in South America. Monies raised: 16,000
Raphael has made an award winning documentary about this expedition. Check out the teaser here!
2014: The Mt Blanc Challenge – Success! I took a collection of 10 diabetics and non-diabetics up the highest mountain in Europe. Raised 27,500
2015: The Eiger North Face Speed Ascent - Success! 7.56hrs with Calum Musket – UK Record - April 22, 2015. Raised 21,000 to date (24.08.15).
Here is a video of Ueli Steck soloing the same route Calum and I took - Ueli was just a bit quicker!
THE IDF BLUE CIRCLE CHAMPIONS
In August 2015 I was invited to join the IDF (The International Diabetic Federation) Blue Circle Champion programme. The IDF's Blue Circle Champions are high profile individuals, such as Sir Steve Redgrave, who have been touched by diabetes in one way or another. Our mission is to make a difference to over 387 million people who are living with diabetes today. Our aim is to draw attention to this silent killer, and provide better health outcomes for people with diabetes and those at risk.
Why a Blue Circle? The blue circle is the universal symbol for diabetes. It signifies the unity of the global diabetes community in the struggle against the epidemic. The symbol is also the logo of World Diabetes Day, the primary global diabetes awareness campaign, celebrated every year on 14 November to mark the birthday of Frederick Banting, who, along with Charles Best, first discovered insulin.
As a Blue Circle Champion, I will have the opportunity to:
- Join a global network against one of the leading threats to global human health and development
- Provide inspiration for almost 400 million people living with diabetes, their families, and healthcare providers
- Be part of the effort to make sure that global decision-makers put Non-Communicable Diseases like diabetes on the top of their health agendas
You can see the full list of Blue Circle Champions here.
THE EIGER CHALLENGE PRESENTATION for schools, outdoor folk, diabetics, and the business world
Through this presentation I introduce you to the World of Adventure Travel and Extreme Mountain sports. Through funny and exciting stories, key messages, amazing slides, and fun videos from around the world, I aim to captivate, inspire and educate. My Eiger presentation is very interactive as I explain what exactly is needed and how to prepare for and overcome such a huge challenge as the North Face of The Eiger and how I managed to gain the necessary fitness to climb alongside Calum Muskett, a world class climber 30 years my junior!
All monies raised from my presentations, other than travel expenses, go direct to my charities to help young children with diabetes in emerging countries including Action4Diabetics, Life For A Child and Insulin For Life.
If you would like to know more about LFAC and how to donate click on this link: http://www.idf.org/lifeforachild/donate
If you would like to know more about Insulin For Life and how to donate please click on this page:
http://www.insulinforlife.org/help
For further information about my Eiger Challenge presentations or if you would like some help and support with your diabetes please contact me, Jerry Gore, direct:
T: 0871 218 0080 M: +33 689 19 75 63 E: jerry@alpbase.com W: www.facebook.com/JerrysInsulinChallenge
And before you go.....MY NEXT CHALLENGE - a great vid from Giles Cornah and Stew Rogers.