Diabetes patient and first time Boston Marathon runner Alicia McNeill will be hosting a fundraiser at Sound Bites in Somerville to benefit the Joslin Diabetes Center.

33-year-old Alicia McNeill of Stoneham will be running her first Boston Marathon in April as a member of Team Joslin to support the Joslin Diabetes Center, a world-renowned diabetes treatment and research facility in Boston, where she has been a patient for almost 24 years, after being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 9.

Coincidentally, Alicia’s fiancé Terrilyn has also struggled with T1D since childhood. The pair met while on vacation in New Orleans in 2011 and now both receive care from Dr. Susan Herzlinger at Joslin, though Terrilyn says she wishes she had access to that level of care when she was first diagnosed.

“My fiancé and I both have the most sincere gratitude and appreciation for the doctors, nurses, educators and researchers at Joslin,” Alicia said. “The work they do is critical for helping me, Terrilyn and millions of others living with diabetes live a long and healthy life.”

Although Alicia has run a marathon once before, this will be her first time taking on the Boston Marathon. To prepare, she is following a hybrid of marathon training guides, going for short runs and cross-training during the week, then tackling longer runs on the weekends when she isn’t traveling for work.

Unlike many other runners, Alicia also has the added challenge of managing her blood sugar throughout her workouts and training sessions. She wears a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) to allow her to monitor her blood sugar levels in real time, helping her avoid any extreme highs or lows and maintain enough energy to get through the workouts. However, the balancing act is difficult, so she does her best to cover her bases by carrying Gu Energy Chews for a quick blood sugar boost, along with a pre-loaded unit of insulin in case her levels don’t fall enough at the tail end of her run.

“No matter how much planning and practice you have, there are too many moving pieces to be able to get it right every time,” Alicia said. “It’s a balancing act and it doesn’t always go right, but what I’ve found works best for me is to try to prepare for both ends of the spectrum, then adapt my plans in real time during the race.”

With each mile she runs, Alicia is proud to be giving back to Joslin. She hopes to raise at least $10,000 to help researchers continue their work developing more efficient treatments and ultimately finding a cure for diabetes.

To help her reach her goal, Alicia is hosting a fundraiser at Sound Bites in Somerville on Sunday, March 4, from 4:00-8:00 p.m., featuring an all-you-can-eat buffet and raffle contest with prizes from local businesses. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online at www.eventbrite.com/e/boston-marathon-fundraiser-for-joslin-diabetes-center-tickets-42733173071.

For more information about Alicia and to donate to her fundraising page, visit www.crowdrise.com/o/en/campaign/joslindiabetescenterboston2018/aliciamcneill .

About Joslin Diabetes Center

Joslin Diabetes Center is world-renowned for its deep expertise in diabetes treatment and research. A federally designated Diabetes Research Center, affiliated with Harvard Medical School, Joslin is dedicated to finding a cure for diabetes and ensuring that people with diabetes live long, healthy lives.  We develop and disseminate innovative patient therapies and scientific discoveries throughout the world. For more information, visit www.joslin.org.

— Courtesy of Regan Communications Group