Forty young people and 20 adults with Type 1 diabetes will be attending the first ever "Type 1 Parliament"  lobbying event on 25 April at the Houses of Parliament.

Izzi Hickmott from Brighton was selected from hundreds of applicants to attend the event being organised by Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).

The event aims to help raise awareness of the condition and urge the government to commit more funding to Type 1 research.

One of the leading research projects working on finding a cure is based at the University of Brighton under the leadership of Professor Adrian Bone and with funding from JDRF.

The Brighton Pavilion MP will be joining Izzi and Professor Bone tomorrow at the University's School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences to find out more about this pioneering project.

Speaking ahead of the visit, Caroline said:

"Izzi is a passionate young campaigner committed to raising awareness of the realities of living with Type 1 diabetes, so it's great news that she has been chosen to bring this message to the heart of Westminster as part of Type 1 Parliament.

"It's clear that far greater research is needed into Type 1 diabetes, which affects around 350,000 people in the UK, to ensure that more pioneering projects like that being led by Professor Adrian Bone at University of Brighton are able to work towards finding a cure.

"We also need to look at ways to improve the situation for young people with Type 1 diabetes in schools, including practical measures to enable them to cope with exam situations and school trips, and information to help teachers and other students understand the challenges.

"I think there is a really strong case for a Brighton and Hove Education Policy for children and young people with Type 1 diabetes in schools, and have written to my Green colleagues at the Council to explore how we might take this forward."

Izzi recently organised a non-school uniform day at her school, Dorothy Stringer and raised £800 for JDRF. 

"Living with Type 1 diabetes is a constant struggle," says Izzi, "as you never get a day off worrying, calculating insulin doses and constantly testing. 

"I know I will have to do this the rest of my life - I just hope that in my lifetime there will be a cure so that I can get back to living the sort of life most people take for granted."

ENDS

* Photocall *

Caroline Lucas MP, Prof Adrian Bone and Izzi Hickmott will be at the laboratories of the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences of the University of Brighton (Huxley Building- off the Lewes Road) at 9.30am on Friday 20 April.

Notes to Editors

About Type 1 diabetes

• Type 1 diabetes is a chronic, life-threatening condition that has a life-long impact on those diagnosed with it and their families. JDRF exists to find the cure for type 1 diabetes.
• People with type 1 diabetes rely on multiple insulin injections or pump infusions every day just to stay alive, until we find the cure.
• It normally strikes children and stays with them for the rest of their lives.
• Type 1 diabetes affects about 350,000 people in the UK, 26,000 of them children.