Rion Heenan

Fundraising target update

My Diabetes Story: Why I’m Walking 300,000 Steps This March

I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when I was five years old.

At that age, I didn’t fully understand what diabetes was or how much it would shape my life. But there’s one moment from that time that’s burned into my memory forever: it was the first time I ever saw my dad cry. That was when I knew something serious was happening — even if I didn’t yet have the words for it.

Growing up with type 1 diabetes has meant learning how to listen to my body in ways most people never have to. I’ve had to become hyper-aware of how I feel, what I eat, how I move, and how stress, illness, or even excitement can affect my blood sugar levels. It’s a skill that’s made me resilient, adaptable, and strong — but it hasn’t come without its challenges.

Diabetes is relentless. Blood sugars fluctuate for reasons you can’t always explain. You can do everything “right” and still end up frustrated, exhausted, or overwhelmed. On top of that, there’s the stigma — the looks, the comments, the misconceptions around needles, insulin, and what type 1 diabetes actually is. It’s invisible to most people, but it’s something I carry with me every single day.

And yet, I’m here. Thriving. Living a full life.

One of the biggest reasons for that is how far diabetes technology has come since I was diagnosed. The advancements over the years — from blood glucose monitoring to insulin delivery — have genuinely changed my quality of life. Tasks that once felt overwhelming or invasive are now more manageable, more precise, and less disruptive. Technology has given me freedom, confidence, and peace of mind I couldn’t have imagined as a child.

That’s why this March, I’m taking on a huge personal challenge: 300,000 steps in 31 days.

I’m doing it as part of the world’s largest type 1 diabetes fundraising event, and I’m pushing myself beyond the original goal because I believe so strongly in what these funds support. Donations raised through this challenge help fuel continued research, innovation, and advancements in diabetes care — the very things that have made my life easier and safer over time.

More than that, they bring us closer to a future where managing diabetes is less burdensome — and hopefully, one day, to a cure.

If you’re newly diagnosed or supporting someone who is, I want you to know this: you are not alone. It is hard. Some days will feel unfair and exhausting. But you are capable of more than you think, and a full, meaningful life is absolutely possible with type 1 diabetes.

And if you’re part of the general public reading this — your support matters more than you might realize. Every donation helps push research forward, supports people living with T1D right now, and gives hope to future generations of children and families who will one day hear the same diagnosis I did at five years old.

So this March, every step I take is for the kid I was, the life I’m living now, and the future we’re still fighting for.

Thank you for walking alongside me — in spirit or in steps 💙

I'm walking for a world without type 1 diabetes this March!

Big steps for an important cause 💙

Why? To help raise $1.1 million for life-changing T1D research, and ultimately turn type 1 into type NONE.

T1D can strike anyone at any time, and 8 Australians are diagnosed every day. Diagnosis means a 24/7 fight with no break, and facing an extra 180 decisions a day to remain safe and healthy. 

Please support my walk today.