The community is also invited to participate in the awareness walk/run along the foreshore, which includes a 4km walk or run or an 8km run. Registration is free.

The event begins at the Pavilion, and takes participants past Stingray Bay, along Pertobe Road to the surf club and return along the Promenade. The course will be completed once for the short course and twice for the eight kilometre event.

Diabetes Resource Centre (DRCI) president and founder Mylee Collins said it was the second year the Warrnambool group had participated locally and similar events would be held in Melbourne and Geelong this weekend.

Miss Collins said the relaxed day was an opportunity to get families together and have some fun.

She said the JDRF One Walk helped raise the profile of type 1 diabetes “enormously” and said the south-west group helped support families whose child was diagnosed with diabetes.

The group had about 70 members across the region and the newest members, a Portland family, will participate, alongside others who have had to adjust to living with the condition.

Miss Collins said it was a chance for families to get together and for their children to realise they’re not the only ones with diabetes, which was beneficial for their mental and emotional health.

These social days and an annual DRCI family camp helps normalise diabetes and the support is also invaluable for south-west parents, she said. 

The JDRF One Walk is the world’s biggest fundraising event for type 1 diabetes and helps unite people who have the condition and live in the same area.

Each year, JDRF Walks worldwide bring together about million people to raise over $85 million for life-changing type 1 diabetes research. 

Registrations open at 9.30am outside the Pavilion. Both runs begin at 10am and the walk kicks off at 10.10am. Registration is free and there will be live music and raffles after the event.

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