Aman, who has Type 1 diabetes, took on the London Bridges Challenge with his family to show his support for people affected by diabetes, and to take on the 10 mile challenge.
Aman's story
I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes 15 years ago. This was a life-changing illness which has taken me through some turbulent times over the years. I have been lucky to control my illness; however, others have not as diabetes can affect major organs in your body, including heart, blood vessels, nerves, eyes and kidneys.
The cause
I have always admired the work of Diabetes UK who strive to find that cure for the disease.
Being a charity, Diabetes UK relies on donations as well as other funding, so on Sunday 1 October 2017, I decided to participate in the London Bridges Challenge to raise some much-needed funds for Diabetes UK. This is my way of saying thank you to Diabetes UK for their amazing support over the years and hope the funds can help others.
"Once I crossed the finish line I was overwhelmed and felt so happy that I had completed the 10 miles and more so for raising the much-needed funds for Diabetes"
Aman's team
The challenge involved a walk of almost 10 miles from West to East London along the city's 12 iconic bridges and a few of my family members agreed to join me for the challenge. Here are the details for the Team Vaja Squad
Maya Vaja – My beloved sister who herself has participated in various charity fundraisers in the past
Vijay Vaja – My big bro and fellow Spurs supporter who actually thought it was a 10-mile Pub Crawl
Sonal Vaja – My sister-in-law whose vocals were very handy during the 10-mile walk. A few songs were sung along the way
Birju Vaja – My Little bro who, having recently got married, was in need of losing those pounds gained during the wedding
Preya Vaja – The newest member of the Vaja family who staged one or two yoga poses across London’s most iconic locations
The walk and fundraising
It was an absolute pleasure to participate in the walk and was a very enjoyable day with Team Vaja raising over £1500 for Diabetes UK. With the great support, I had from my family we just didn’t realise where the time went, although there were a few struggles as we approached the final two bridges. Those legs were caving in but I was determined to carry on and complete the walk. Once I crossed the finish line I was overwhelmed and felt so happy that I had completed the 10 miles and more so for raising the much-needed funds for diabetes.
Since completing the walk, I have continued the momentum and getting in at least an hour’s walk daily. Walking is a great way of keeping fit and active and can help you maintain a healthy lifestyle.
I would highly recommend taking part in the wonderful London Bridges Challenge this September.
