A Gosforth family will climb England’s highest mountain to raise money and awareness of a condition close to their hearts – type 1 diabetes by taking part in the Climb 1 For Type 1 challenge.

Debbie and Shane Rowe, with children Harry and Oliver, will join a group of 80 people, aged from eight to 75, attempting to scale Scafell Pike on Saturday in the Climb 1 For Type 1 challenge to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

This is the first time that the boys have done anything like this challenge, though dad Shane has previously ran for the charity in the Great North Run.

Debbie’s son Harry has been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. She said: “This will be a big challenge for both boys but more so for Harry as he has to combat the effects that, exercise, adrenalin, temperature changes and exhaustion has on his type 1 diabetes.”

She said they are raising money for JDRF as: “Technologies for Type 1 are improving all the time and advancements have made our life so much better to manage. Diabetes is close to our hearts and close to home.”

Harry’s insulin requirements will be adjusted to keep his blood glucose levels stable in order to counteract the additional energy his body will require for climbing the mountain.

Debbie said Harry, eight and Oliver, 11, didn’t think they would reach their target of £150, but have already exceeded it, raising £245 so far on their JustGiving page.

“They are over the moon with the total so far, they are quite full on their sponsor total too,” she added.

She said it is important to raise awareness of childhood type 1 diabetes and along with fundraising for a cure to the condition and for new technologies to help other families, hopes that their story will alert parents to the danger signs of the auto-immune condition.

Harry was only 18 months old when Debbie noticed something was not quite right. He was always very thirsty. Two different doctors told her Harry had an infection even though she told them there was diabetes in the family. They told her he was too young to have diabetes.

Harry’s condition worsened over a weekend and, as the family happened to be in Liverpool they rushed him to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital where doctors confirmed he had type 1 diabetes.

She said they were incredibly relieved it was diagnosed in time, but the thought of what could have happened if left misdiagnosed is still upsetting for her.

Symptoms of type 1 diabetes include acitone breath which smells of pear drops - caused by key tones in the body burning itself for energy, extreme thirst - as the body tries to rid itself of glucose, with excessive bed wetting or nappy wetting as a result of drinking, constantly crying, tiredness and weight loss in adults.

Debbie advises parents to use their instinct. If they hadn’t persisted, Harry’s diabetes would have been misdiagnosed as just an infection.

Harry’s big brother Oliver has been a great support for Harry, often helping out by getting glucose tablets, orange juice or emergency supplies, alerting his parents to Harry’s monitors alarm and he even had an Omnipod patch pump inserted into him when he was eight to show his little brother that it was ok to have one.

Debbie said: “We are immensely proud of both boys attempting this for JDRF, in the hope that one day there will be the cure for Type 1 diabetes and not only Harry but their Grandad Stewart will both be free of this massive burden of a disease.”

The walk will take place on June 22, and will be started by a flyover from fellow type 1 diabetes sufferers Douglas Cairns and Karl Beetson. The JDRF supporters will fly past the starting point at 500 feet above Wasdale Head and will do a few climbing steep turns and victory rolls to wave them on their way.

Donate to the boys’ fundraising page at: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/teamroweconquerscafellpike