12:00a.m. 12th October 2008

| By Damian Bathersby

The Maker family are particapating in the Diabetes Walkathon fundraiser. Lilli 7, with her parents Warren and Lee Maker. Photo: Cade Mooney / 178817

The Maker family has two very good reasons to help find a cure for diabetes – dad Warren and seven-year-old Lilli are sufferers.

Today they will be stepping out in the Sunshine Coast’s inaugural Walk To Cure Diabetes fundraiser and are hoping many others will join them.

“The impact of diabetes on our lives is huge,” Warren, who was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when he was 12, said.

“It’s a life-long disease where you have to have four or five or six injections a day and you’re testing yourself six or eight times a day.”

He admits that when Lilli was born he did not give much thought to the possibility she would also be a diabetic.

For the first six years everything was fine but less than 12 months ago she became ill and was diagnosed with the same type of diabetes as him.

The fact he’s been a diabetic for 35 years doesnt make it any easier for Warren to watch his little girl suffer.

“She has to be tested at school every day – it has a major impact on our lives,” he said.

“It’s actually a mentally challenging thing as well and depression goes with diabetes quite a lot.

“She’ll be hungry and want something to eat but will have to have insulin first to bring her blood sugar level down.

“It means a machine rules our lives – when we can eat, when we can’t eat, when we can exercise, when we can’t exercise, what insulin we have to give ourselves and when we have to give it.

“It’s tough and I can see the stress on her face.”

The Makers, including mum Lee, will step out for the cause this morning and hope the Sunshine Coast community turns out in force to support them.

“Diabetes is a serious illness – that’s the message we want to get across,” Warren said. “Kidney disease, heart disease, eye trouble, amputations – there are so many possible complications and so many people affected.

“That’s why it is so important we raise money to help find a cure.”

The Walk To Cure Diabetes will start at 9.30am in Rotary Park at Cotton Tree.

It will finish back at the park with a special family fun day.