We have done it!

Yes, I am so proud to report that myself and Sarah are now marathon runners as we have both completed our first marathon.

It was such a fantastic event, with support from the crowd all the way around the 26.2 miles.

But most of all we raised the all important funds and awareness for JDRF and I am hoping that this will bring us a few steps closer to the cure for Clare and all the children and adults who have Type 1 Diabetes.

Thank you all for your continued support.

Fiona Finnegan Finish Time 4.13.22
Sarah Waldron Finish Time 5.27.24

http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/Mums-make-marathon-effort-diabetes-charity/story-15858576-detail/story.html

Mums make marathon effort for diabetes charity

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Derby Telegraph

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TWO Littleover mums who took up running to raise money for a diabetes charity will take part in their first London Marathon on Sunday.
Fiona Finnegan and close friend Sarah Waldron, both 44, are on track to raise £7,000 should they complete the 26.2-mile slog.

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   Fiona Finnegan, left, and friend Sarah Waldron, right, are running the London Marathon to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Fiona's daughter, Clare, centre, has type-one diabetes.

Their inspiration is Fiona's daughter, Clare, who was diagnosed with type-one diabetes five years ago at the age of nine.
Fiona, of Kingswood Place, said the news was a "shock out of the blue" and that she was now on a mission to raise funds for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
The mum-of-two said: "We had no idea she had it as we did not know what the symptoms were.
"I didn't even know there was type-one and type-two.
"Clare was only nine. To be given this life sentence of daily injections and blood tests was very hard for her.
"There's no holiday from diabetes – she can never have a day off from it."
Fiona said the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation was close to her heart as it was working to find a cure for the condition.
It is also coming up with new treatments and ways to control diabetes.
One such development is an insulin pump – a small portable device that is attached to the body and delivers insulin via a catheter placed under the skin. Clare, now 14, was given an insulin pump two years ago and so no longer requires daily injections.
Fiona said she and Sarah were trying to raise as much as they could so the foundation could continue its "vital" research.
She said: "Neither of us have ever run a marathon before but we're both determined to support the foundation – even if they do say you shouldn't take up running in your 40s.
"At the last check we were a few pounds short of £7,000. We're absolutely thrilled to get that."
To sponsor Fiona and Sarah, visit

Thank you to Sinfin Running Club

Last May, I joined Sinfin Running Club and they have been great.  The club have supported me all the way with running sessions, advice, and helping me to achieve a PB in the Derby 10k a few weeks ago.  Chris Morrison kindly let me talk to the club members last week on my motivation for running a marathon.  This enabled me to talk about Type 1 diabetes.  I was able to explain how it is an auto-immune disease and not a lifestyle issue that can be linked to Type 2 diabetes.  I was also able to explain about JDRF and how having type 1 diabetes has affected my daughter Clare and ourselves as a family.  The club members were very generous in supporting me by filling in sponsor forms.  I will be joining a few of them in London on Sunday, and I am looking foward to celebrating with them when I have finished.

Fundraising and awareness day at David Lloyd Derby on Monday 19th March

Fantastic day of raising awareness and funds at David Lloyd today.  I raised £100.00 and have further pledges. Successful day and I enjoyed talking to lots of people about how Type 1 has affected myself and Clare as a family.  Thank you to anyone who stopped and talked to me.

Silverstone Half Marathon

Myself and Sarah lined up for the start of the Silverstone Half Marathon on Sunday 11th March. 

We were joined by 30 JDRF runners who were all united with one goal in mind to finish!  We were also there to raise that all important awareness of Type 1 Diabetes.

I am pleased to say that we both finished, in times that we were very happy with!  This was our first half marathon and it has hopefully given us the momentum to run the 26.2 miles in April 22nd.

Fiona finished in 1 hour and 58 minutes, Sarah in 2 hours and 25 minutes.

Previous donations carried over from last year

Donations from 2011 which have been carried over:

Fiona and Sarah £844.15 15.02.11 Thank you to everyone who attended our Salsa night, it was a great success and raised a tremendous amount!

Jenny Strange £15.00 (+ £4.23 giftaid) 31.01.11 Will be with you in mind if not body

Paul Brown £50.00 (+ £14.10 giftaid) 29.01.11 Good luck to you both lots of love Blue and nicx

Brenda Wright £10.00 (+ £2.82 giftaid) 28.01.11 You Can Do It Ladies..!!!

Katie Mason £10.00 (+ £2.82 giftaid) 25.01.11 Best of luck ladies keep up the hard work x

Fiona Finnegan £10.00 (+ £2.82 giftaid) 16.01.11 Donation from Jo and Pat O'Brien, many thanks.

Fiona Finnegan £10.00 16.01.11 Donation from Colin and Alison, many thanks

Sarah Depledge £15.00 14.01.11 Good luck ladies, you are doing a wonderful thing!

Caroline, Sean and Katie Finnnegan £50.00 24.12.10 Happy Birthday Clare and Happy Christmas to you all. Eat as many mince pies as you can Fe - you will soon be burning them off. Love Sean, Caroline and Katie xxx

Audrie Norris £20.00 (+ £5.64 giftaid) 10.12.10 a small thank you for the love and support you gave us. Good luck to you both

Helen Bailey £5.00 (+ £1.41 giftaid) 25.11.10 Hi Thank you for doing this for all our children! Love Helen and Emma CWD Family

Margaret Straughan £20.00 19.11.10 Fiona, Good luck to you both, you are doing a really courageous thing and I for one will be watching it. Love Margaret

Karen Cox £20.00 (+ £5.64 giftaid) 06.11.10 Good luck to you both! Rather you than me!! xx

Charity Champagne Breakfast

Press release from our recent event which we are hoping will be published in The Derbyshire Life (April edition) and The Derby Evening Telegraph.

Charity Champagne Breakfast

in aid of Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF)

52 ladies gathered at The Dovecote Restaurant at Morley Hayes on Friday 3^rd February for a Charity Champagne Breakfast raising money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF)

The event was organised by Fiona Finnegan and Sarah Waldron who are running the Virgin London Marathon on 22^nd April this year to raise further funds for the charity.  Despite never having run at this level previously they are both training hard and looking forward to the challenge. 

Fiona’s daughter Clare, (Sarah’s goddaughter) was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes aged 9, she is now 14.  Clare’s diagnosis has had a huge impact and affects every aspect of her life.  JDRF are working towards a cure for this chronic autoimmune condition.

The Champagne breakfast raised an impressive £972.00 bringing the accumulated total to over £6000.00.  Fiona and Sarah have arranged several events over recent months, including a Salsa evening, a coffee and cupcakes event and a raffle at Radleigh Homes Ltd. The money raised will help support vital research into finding the cure for type 1 diabetes and its complications.

Anyone interested in sponsoring Fiona and Sarah’s Virgin London Marathon 2012 challenge can do so via the website http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/FionaandSarah