THE MOTHER of a Flintshire singer who died of a diabetes complication is continuing her campaign to raise awareness.

Dee Pinnington is the mother of Alistair Thomas, who died of Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) in 2018.

Known as Ali, he was a singer and musician from Flint who had two young children and died of DKA aged 35, having previously been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in his early twenties.

Read more: Family left heartbroken after items stolen from son's memorial bench in Flint

Ali, who was a pupil at St Richard Gwyn in Flint, followed his dream to be a musician after completing his studies.

The local rock star travelled across the UK to perform at various events as a soloist and as a duo in ‘The Statements’ and a group called ‘Universal Exports’.

After his death, a fundraiser was launched to raise funds to help in the fight of raising awareness of Type One diabetes.

In October 2018, Ali felt poorly with what he assumed to be a stomach upset taking to his bed. After being sick for another day and complaining about back pain, he started to appear disorientated, collapsed and was taken to Chester hospital, where he died five days later.

Ali's mum, Dee, has been raising awareness of his condition ever since so that other families don't have to go through the heartbreak of losing a loved one to diabetes.

The Leader:

PIC: Ali thomas on stage.

Dee, who is a counsellor specialising in trauma, lives with type 1 diabetes, diagnosed when she was 50.

On April 30, at Dee's home, money raised through fundraising in Ali's memory, the sum of which is to be announced, will be handed over via a cheque to Diabetes UK.

She said: "Ali's first group 'Breach' was where his roots were when he first started singing and they remained good friends throughout his life not just to Ali but to us as well. We are very grateful for their support. 

"We are indebted to the companies who have supported the cause too including A.H.Plant Hire, Wirral Building Supplies, A.E.Rowlands Plant Hire. These are just a few of the many businesses who have continued to support us."

Dee added: "We are passionate about helping other families so they do not have to go through the heartache of losing a child. The leaflets we have had produced which are in every hospital in Wales are for relatives and friends who live with someone with Type 1 Diabetes so that they are educated in knowing what to do should the person with Diabetes be unable to care for themselves.

"We will continue to raise funds and awareness in memory of Ali. He was a fun loving, extremely hardworking, talented and loving young man who was taken far too young and is unable to watch his young children grow into adulthood.

The Leader:

PIC: A memorial bench for Ali Thomas in Flint.

"The leaflets we have had produced will be shown and photographed on the 30th at the handover of the cheque."

The leaflet will be available through all Health Boards in Wales and explains what DKA is, stressing that most people with type 1 diabetes will be able to manage and care for their condition without experiencing a diabetes related medical emergency.

However, the leaflet also reminds us that DKA can be dangerous and must never be ignored as it can kill within hours, highlighting the symptoms to look out for.

The four Ts are used to spot the vital signs of DKA:

  • Toilet - Going to the toilet a lot
  • Thirsty - Being really thirsty and not being able to quench the thirst
  • Tired - Feeling more tired than usual
  • Thinner - Losing weight or looking thinner than usual

Find out more about DKA here: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/complications/diabetic_ketoacidosis