Every day, more than 300 Australians are diagnosed with diabetes, and of these, approximately 60 will be diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, a chronic autoimmune condition that has no cure.
For families, the impact can be life-altering, requiring constant management and vigilance.
To raise awareness and funds for those living with the condition, father and son duo Tyson and Ollie Major are preparing to take on the gruelling Kokoda Track.
For Mr Major, this will be his third time trekking the historic route, but for 14-year-old Ollie, it marks not only his first time on the track but also his first trip outside of Australia.
“I’m excited about the journey,” Ollie said.
“It’ll be fun to go overseas, but mainly I want to support the foundation and kids with type 1 diabetes.”
The trek is part of an annual initiative by the Type 1 Foundation, which organises Kokoda journeys to raise funds for research and support programs.
This year’s trek will take place in October, with a special focus on including family members and friends of those affected by the disease.
Mr Major said that sharing the experience with his son makes this attempt at Kokoda more significant than his previous ones.
“This time, being the third, is probably going to be the most emotional because I’m doing it with my boy,” he said.
“There are always emotional moments over there, but I think walking through the arches at the end this time will be the most special.”
The Kokoda Track, a 96-kilometer trek through the rugged Papua New Guinean jungle, is widely regarded as one of the toughest endurance challenges in the world.
It follows the path where Australian soldiers fought a brutal campaign against Japanese forces in World War II, and today, it stands as both a war memorial and a test of resilience for those who take it on.
For Ollie, preparing for the trek has already proven to be a challenge.
He has completed two training hikes so far, each pushing his limits.
“The training itself is testing how far I can go,” he said.
“Some of the hikes are really hard, but I know they’ll prepare me for the real thing.”
Mr Major has been guiding his son through the training process, starting with smaller hikes before tackling tougher routes such as Mount Barney and the 30-kilometre Mount Joyce loop near Wyaralong Dam.
In addition to raising awareness, the father-son duo is also working to secure sponsorships and community support.
They have been running raffles and fundraising events to cover the costs of the trek.Ollie is also looking forward to immersing himself in the culture of Papua New Guinea.
“Just interacting with the local people will be an amazing experience,” he said.
“We’ll be handing out Jimboomba Thunder footy jerseys as well, which will be really cool.”
The trek will also be an opportunity to connect with Australia’s military history.
Mr Major said that the stories told along the track bring the events of World War II to life, something he believes is crucial for younger generations.
“The war history is starting to fade with the younger generation,” he said.
“Being able to see the relics, bullets on the ground, helmets, old machine guns, makes it all real. It’s a powerful experience.”
