After his grandson was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, Doug Lee plans to ride a 60-mile unicycle to raise money for Breakthrough T1D, a nonprofit that researches type 1 diabetes.
Folsom, California — A Folsom A man plans to support his four-year-old grandson, who has type 1 diabetes, by unicycling a distance equal to his age to raise funds and awareness for the condition.
Doug Lee, 60, plans to raise funds by unicycling 60 miles when the weather cools in early or mid-September. Breakthrough T1DA nonprofit organization that studies type 1 diabetes.
Their grandson, Maddox Moore, was born in 2020. Lee said Moore was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was 16 months old after his mother noticed he was leaking urine in his diapers, losing weight and drinking a lot of water. ABC NewsHe was later diagnosed.
“None of us knew much about it. There was no family history of it. It just caught us off guard,” Lee said. “At first, we were pricking our fingers multiple times to check our blood sugar levels and injecting insulin about seven to 10 times a day.”
Now Moore uses an insulin pump, which eliminates the need for finger pricks more often, and Lee said he hopes that advances in technology and medicine will make it even easier to treat his grandson in the future.
“Maddox calls me 'Dad,'” Lee told ABC10 as he stood up and showed off his outfit during a Zoom interview on Monday. “In fact, the shirt I'm wearing today says 'Proud Dad of Type 1 Diabetes Warriors.'”
Mr Lee said after 37 years as a police officer, looking after his grandchildren two days a week in retirement was “the best job I've ever had”.
You can donate to Lee's Type 1 Diabetes Research Fund here.
One man's unicycle adventure
Lee learned to ride a unicycle when he was about 12, but said it takes practice to ride 60 miles.
On Monday, he said his longest run to date was 30 miles. But between 6 and 9 a.m. Tuesday, he ran 31 miles. When he finished, he said it was too hot outside; the high temperature in Sacramento that day is expected to be 106 degrees Fahrenheit.
“I try to cycle as much as I can every week,” Lee said. “The most important thing for me is cardiovascular fitness. My leg strength is fine, but sitting on a unicycle is a long time.”
Lee owns three unicycles.
- It was there when he was a teenager, so it's about 45 years old.
- This is an upgraded version that I purchased about 8 years ago.
- A large-wheeled unicycle for long distance travel that I purchased three years ago.
Lee said Breakthrough T1D has the option to raise funds “your way,” which made the unicycle event possible. The nonprofit has hosted bike-ride fundraisers in the past, but Lee said unicycle riders are slower than people on bikes.
Lee also drew inspiration from a friend who is six months older than her, who every year challenges herself to unicycle with others her own age.
When asked if he knew how to juggle in addition to riding a unicycle, Lee replied, “No.”
“I can't do that,” he said. “In fact, I wear a shirt that says, 'I'm not a clown. I'm an athlete.'”