His bike is burnished and his backpack is packed. Paul Farrelly is perfectly prepared to kick off his big adventure. The 52-year-old from Southsea, United Kingdom, plans to cycle 2,000 miles across Europe – despite his Type 1 diabetes. His aspiring trip, which will start in Portsmouth on May 2, is supported and sponsored by the Bayer Diabetes Care DreamFund™. This unique, annual competition, which has been running since 2006, recognizes the achievements of people with diabetes who are strong enough to live their dreams. Thanks to the impressive application Paul submitted for the 2008 contest, there was no doubt for the judges that he should be awarded a grant to help fund his project.

Paul was diagnosed with diabetes in 2000, but learned to deal with it quickly and adapted his lifestyle accordingly. “I was determined to learn how to control my diabetes and not let it control me,” he reports. “I wanted to push myself physically and mentally.” And his gruelling journey plans show that Paul is determined to get serious about it once again. During his ‘European Cycling Challenge’ he will cycle about 70 miles every day. He plans to arrive in Istanbul, the capital city of Turkey, on May 31. During his trip, he will stop over in many European cities, among others the Bayer headquarters in Leverkusen, Germany, where he will be welcomed at mile 545. Other stops will include Paris, Prague, Vienna, Budapest and Sofia. While crossing the continent, Paul will be reporting on a British website in order to share his experiences with other fellow diabetes patients.

“This ride will be really tough and I will have to monitor my blood glucose levels on a very regular basis”, Paul admits. For this reason, a BREEZE® 2 meter always accompanys him while being en route. The multi-test system with its small, round sensor disc allows ten consecutive blood glucose measurements without handling individual strips. This simplifies his life with diabetes and the fast and precise results give Paul the security he needs to fully concentrate on important things in life – like cycling and raising awareness of diabetes and its challenges.

“I am committed to helping educate people across Europe about the importance of managing diabetes effectively”, says Paul. “I want to prove that you can live a normal life and reach your goals despite the chronic disorder – if you have the right motivation and a positive attitude.” He hopes that his example encourages other patients to fulfill their dreams and helps people to better understand how important a healthy lifestlye is, e.g. for preventing the development of Type 2 diabetes. One of Paul’s admirers, Sir Steve Redgrave, has a similar view. The five-times Olympic gold medallist in rowing, who has been diagnosed with the condition leading up to the Sydney Olympic Games, says on Paul’s homepage: ”I would like to wish you all the best for your European Cycle Challenge. Raising awareness of diabetes and reiterating that the condition can be managed in order for you to achieve your goals is something close to my heart and something which I truly believe in.”