A Moray student has urged diabetes patients across the country to prove doubters wrong by pushing themselves to the limit.
Ian Anderson, from Keith, was told he would likely not live past 30 when he was diagnosed with the illness at 13.
The prognosis caused the campaigner to “rebel” as a teenager by not paying attention to what he ate as well as his health.
Now the 42-year-old has set himself the ambitious target of running two marathons and two half-marathons during 2020 – praising the development of an insulin pump for his new lease of life.
He said: “After years of neglect I had a wake-up call in 2015.
“I was driving into Elgin and pulled into a lay-by near Fochabers to check my blood sugar level. I just blacked-out and it’s only because another driver saw me and checked on me that an ambulance was called.
“Diabetes isn’t what it was when I was diagnosed 29 years ago. Back then I was told there was no cure, there likely never would be and I probably wouldn’t live past 30.
“I just want people to know that diabetes shouldn’t be a barrier to stop you doing whatever you want to do.”
Following Mr Anderson’s spell in hospital 2015 he downloaded used internet guides to coach himself to 5K runs before pushing himself even further – losing more than four-stone in the process.
Last year the Moray College UHI student completed the Inverness Half Marathon and the London Marathon but aims to push himself further during 2020 to support charity Diabetes UK.
He said: “The insulin pump has given me a new lease of life. Just five years ago I was still having seven injections a day but the technology now is incredible – it monitors my levels for me and pumps insulin accordingly.
“It was almost too little too late but to say it’s turned my life around would be an understatement.
“Diabetes is very individual, what works for me might not work for anyone else, but there shouldn’t be any barriers.”
Donations to support Mr Anderson’s 2020 marathon running can be made online at www.justgiving.com/iananderson-2020
