A GRANDMOTHER from Tytherington has been awarded a medal in recognition of her courage of living with diabetes for 50 years.


Sue Seve, 61, has been a type one diabetic since the age of 11 and was recently awarded ‘The Alan Nabarro Medal’ from charity Diabetes UK.


She has been praised for her perseverance with the condition for the past 50 years, and also raising more than £1,500 for the charity through several swimming challenges.


“I have been very lucky in having no complications with my type one diabetes and I put it down to good living and regular exercise,” she said.


“My GP had to nominate me for the medal, as he is the only one who can confirm that I deserve it.


“Receiving the medal was a real turning point for me and a real achievement, especially as it is from Diabetes UK which I have been supporting for years.


“It’s now in my cabinet on display.”


Sue has been married to Graham, 69, for 43 years, and they have two children, Joanna, 36 and Neil 39, and two grandchildren, three-year-old Finley and Jack, 18 months, together.


As a regular member of Thornbury Leisure Centre for 17 years, the retired nurse at Frenchay Hospital said she constantly promotes a healthy lifestyle.


She has completed the ‘Swim22’ challenge for Diabetes UK several times over the years - the equivalent of the English Channel in Thornbury Leisure Pool - raising hundreds of pounds for the charity.


“I have completed several research projects for Diabetes UK which I hope will help future generations suffering from diabetes,” she added.


“My motto is ‘keep fit, be active and eat a healthy diet’, and I am doing a sponsored tandem parachute jump for Diabetes UK at the end of October - weather permitting. I’m really looking forward to it.”


Carole Weeks, customer services manager at the leisure centre, said: “Sue is a very regular user at Thornbury Leisure Centre – I don’t know where she gets her energy from.


“If she is not in the pool she is in the gym, she pays an annual membership to us so gets unlimited use of the gym, fitness classes and the swimming pool and it is clearly benefitting her health.”