Hannah Barrett (31) from Whitchurch was told she would probably never run again after being crippled in an horrific road traffic accident which killed one of her fellow passengers. It happened five years ago in Australia and left her in a wheelchair with broken legs and a ruptured cruciate ligament.
She is now recovered sufficiently to throw away her crutches and take part in the Cardiff University ‘Cardiff Half Marathon’ on 27 March to fundraise for one of the event’s charity partners, Diabetes Research and Wellness Foundation (DRWF).
Hannah took up exercise and running after being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was 17 years old. She said: “It’s a hidden condition and I have never let my diagnosis stop me from doing anything in life. I regularly use it as a reason to do as much as possible.”
Following the car accident, she used the NHS ‘Couch to 5k’ programme to see if she could run successfully and without pain after the accident, as she was told she wouldn’t ever be able to. “Exercise and being active was the key for optimal diabetes management. It’s been an integral part of my life and without it my mental and physical health would have suffered greatly,” added Hannah.
Hannah says she is delighted to be able to fundraise for DRWF. Her Just Giving page has already raised over £300 with a target of £1000.
Tim Green head of community fundraising at DRWF said, “We’re so inspired by Hannah’s story and very grateful to her fundraising for the charity. We are looking for more people interested in the Cardiff half marathon to run for DRWF.” There is more info about signing up to run for DRWF here.
Despite the crippling injuries of the road accident Hannah suffered in November 2016, at the age of 26, she was determined to run again. “So here I am, five years after being told I would never run again, throwing myself at this challenge and aiming to prove that having Type 1 Diabetes does not stop you from doing anything,” adds Hannah
“Exercise not only helps me to manage my diabetes, it also keeps me sane. I am so grateful to be able to walk. I am so grateful to be able to run. And I am so grateful to be fundraising for a charity that works so hard to raise awareness of all types of diabetes, to provide information and support to promote good self-management and to enhance quality of life, and to ultimately help find a cure.”
The Cardiff Half Marathon
The Cardiff half marathon is organised by Cardiff University. The event has grown significantly since it was founded by Barnardo’s in 2003 when 1,500 runners took part. It now attracts a mass race field of over 27,500 registered runners alongside world-class athletes in a trio of fiercely contested men’s, women’s, and wheelchair elite races.
It has been awarded a Gold Road Race Label by World Athletics and is a member of AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races).
Its flat, fast course passes the most breath-taking scenery and iconic landmarks including Cardiff Castle, the Principality Stadium, Civic Centre, and Cardiff Bay.
Thousands of spectators turn out to cheer on the runners in a city renowned for its sporting passion. Cardiff is a lively capital city offering unique attractions, world-class sports stadiums, vibrant entertainment, waterside eateries, and seemingly endless parkland.
The race has been sponsored by Cardiff University since 2016 and is supported by several other strategic partners. It supports many charities and good causes, with more than £3 million raised each year.
