An amateur artist from Muswell Hill who has lived with diabetes since the age of four will be setting out to raise awareness of the disease in the developing world.

Elizabeth Rowley, of Windermere Road, will travel to the Dominican Republic with the diabetes charity AYUDA to run summer camps for schoolchildren.

The 26-year-old, who works for Diabetes UK, has lived with type-1 diabetes for most of her life and wants to help others struggling with the disease.

She said: “I think a lot of people with diabetes take it for granted that they have the technology to manage the condition – I know I do.

“But for people in the developing world diabetes can be a death sentence because they don’t have insulin or the ability to monitor their blood-sugar levels.

“Also, they don’t know about how different foods can affect them so the programme hopes to educate young people and hopefully bring about some lasting change.”

Mrs Rowely will leave for the Caribbean in June and is trying to raise around £4,000 to fund the project. She is currently just past the half-way mark at £2.942.

Her husband John, 29, who also has type-1 diabetes, is supporting his wife by running a 60-mile ultra marathon help raise money for the charity.

The 26-year-old added: “This is crazy enough for a non-diabetic to do, but him doing it while living with type-1 diabetes is pretty incredible.

"My husband has been really supportive and helped so much with all the fundraising and I really can’t thank him enough.” 

The couple are hosting a pub quiz at the Colonel Fawcett Pub, in Camden, to raise money for the charity on Monday, April 28.

It costs £5 to enter and those who wish to attend can find the details here.

Mrs Rowley is an amateur artist and has been selling some of her work to help raise cash for the project. 

To find out more about Mrs Rowley's trip to the Dominican Republic, to buy some of her art or to donate to her cause, visit her website www.t1international.com