Families hit by diabetes to ask MSPs for funds ; Families from the North-east affected by diabetes were today due to go to Holyrood to lobby politicians for more cash for the illness.

Families from the North-east affected by diabetes were today dueto go to Holyrood to lobby politicians for more cash for theillness.

Nearly 17,500 people in the NHS Grampian region are living withthe blood sugar condition.

Almost 15,000 have type 2 diabetes, linked to diet, and justshort of 3,000 have the naturally-occurring type 1.

However it's believed a further 7,700 people in the region areliving with the illness undiagnosed.

At best, having diabetes means a controlled diet to monitor thebody's insulin levels, at worst it can lead to blindness organfailure and death.

Fiona Birnie, whose 11-year-old son Max suffers …