Inspirations Behind It All
Here is the inspiration behind the event.
Shane Board
Shane was diagnosed with type 1 Diabetes at the age of ten. He struggled to come to terms with it at first but has now turned his life around and uses his talent to raise money for the National Charity Diabetes UK. He was honoured to be asked to be a speaker at this years national Diabetes UK conference in Nottingham, where he talked about how he copes with his diabetes and how it fits in with his busy lifestyle. Shane is also studying to be a web design manager and is in the process of setting up his own business.
Last week Shane was awarded a certificate for all his hard work and dedication towards Diabetes UK, and on arriving back from the conference he had a number of emails waiting to say how inspiring he is to other young people with diabetes. His family also recieved an email from the conference organiser saying how proud they should be of Shane and that so many delegates had commented on him being an inspiration. They will also be keeping him in mind for other events and talks. He is now aged nineteen and plans to dedicate as much time as possible to the charity and raising the much needed funds for research for a better future with diabetes and working towards a cure. Shanes agent, terry Mills of Star Promotions UK, is so inspired by Shane and his dedication to the charity that he together with Shane made this event happen, and hope it will be the first of many.
Shane has previously performed and presented three pop concert style theatre shows of his own before this for the charity but this will be the first black tie event, so we really hope it is a success. Shane has performed all over the South of UK in a number of different venues with dancers, bands and even big band. He has also done a number of tv programmes and commercials as well as proffesional pantomime and feature film. Before his performing career he was a national karate champion and southern region champion on many occasions. Shane is a spotlight registered actor.
Richard Lane OBE
Richard is 64 years old, and is married with two children. He lives in Bromley.
Richard retired as a partner in BDO Stoy Hayward, Chartered Accountants, in December 2003, through ill health caused by Type 1 Diabetes. He is now a non-executive director of five growing companies. He has always been heavily involved in a range of charitable and other community activities, and is now, amongst other responsibilities, Chairman of a Hospice.
Richard has been a serious and brittle Type 1 Diabetic since 1976, treated with insulin injections and then an insulin pump. He suffered from a substantial number of hypoglycaemic reactions and comas, and from a range of complications associated with Type 1 Diabetes. Between September 2004 and January 2005, he received three Islet Cell Transplants at King’s College Hospital, in the care of a team lead by Professors Stephanie Amiel and Nigel Heaton. From this amazing research project, he became the first Type 1 Diabetic in the UK to be able to stop taking insulin.
He is a Vice-President of Diabetes UK, a member of the UK and English Advisory Councils of Diabetes UK, and of their Finance Subcommittee.
He has spoken over 75 times all over the UK, principally on behalf of Diabetes UK, about his remarkable treatment and the extraordinary improvements thus made to his and his family’s lives. He will never be able to thank Diabetes UK enough for funding this research and treatment, and to Professors Amiel and Heaton, and all at King’s College Hospital for providing it!
October 2007