Two men climb South Wales peak to celebrate 100 combined years with type 1 diabetes

Two men diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the ages of two and four years have climbed the highest peak in South Wales to celebrate their 100th combined anniversary of living with the disease.
Paul Coker, 44, of South Wales completed the challenge to climb Pen-y-Fan in the Brecon Beacons, as part of a year of conquests to mark 40 years of him living with diabetes.
Pete Davies, a 62-year-old father of two, who lives with his wife in Surrey, also took on the strenuous mountain walk to signify 60 years of having type 1 diabetes.
The pair joined forces last weekend to reach the summit of the mountai, which stands at 886 metres above sea level, to inspire young people and young families living with type 1 diabetes.
During the challenge the duo used the motto: “Don’t let type 1 stand in your way, you can still take on the challenges you have always dreamed of and achieve great things!”
Paul is also pushing himself to complete 40 half marathons by the end of next year and Pete is preparing for a 17,056 feet high trek of the Rainbow Mountains, Peru, in June next year.
The men were due to team up with JDRF supporter Colin Rowland, who himself is celebrating his 50th year of living with the disease to complete the hike. Unfortunately, Colin was unable to take part after picking up an injury in the New York Marathon while raising money for JDRF.
The trio joined forces in 2014 to climb Mount Kilimanjaro as part of the largest ever group of people with type 1 diabetes to climb Africa’s tallest mountain.