It’s 10 years since Steve Redgrave became the most successful ever British Olympian, winning his 5th Gold Medal (for rowing). In that decade he has continued to inspire millions while raising over £5 million for charity.

His latest challenge is regarded as the toughest endurance race in the world. Race Across America is a 3,000 mile non-stop relay cycle race crossing from Oceanside, California to Annapolis, Maryland. Joined by a team of former rowers & friends, the crew of 8 will ride across 14 States, climb 100,000ft and encounter every extreme of weather. Starting on 12 June the race usually takes teams 6-9 days to complete.

The Steve Redgrave Crew aim to raise £100,000 - £1 for every foot climbed - for the Steve Redgrave Fund and Sport Relief. The Steve Redgrave Fund uses the power of sport and sporting activity to bring about positive change in the lives of disadvantaged children.

Sir Steve has insulin resistant diabetes (which means that he has to use insulin to help manage his glucose levels). Sir Steve will be using Medtronic's insulin pump system (Paradigm^11®12 Veo™¹³) to help him get the right amount of insulin and to continuously monitor his glucose levels throughout this endurance cycle.

The Paradigm Veo device is about the size of a mobile phone and is usually worn by the patient on their belt. As Sir Steve will be unable to see the readout of his Veo system while cycling, Medtronic has worked with Sir Steve to electronically link a second device to his. This second device will be attached to the handlebars of Sir Steve’s bike so that he can continue to monitor his glucose levels while cycling.

It’s especially important for people with diabetes to monitor their glucose levels while exercising as the process of exercise can cause their blood sugar levels to drop very low. If they don’t take action, they can experience hypoglycaemia, which if left untreated can have very serious consequences.

Paradigm Veo is the first insulin pump system in the world which is able to continuously monitor the glucose levels of a person with Type 1 diabetes and to automatically suspend insulin delivery if their glucose levels become too low. In this way Paradigm Veo can help protect against the risk of low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) even when a person is asleep or unable to react.

Learn more information on insulin pumps and Paradigm Veo.¹⁴