The courage of a Cumbrian toddler is inspiring his family to start a campaign to find a cure of his chronic lifelong condition.

Lewis Gosney, who is just two-years-old, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) two months ago and currently needs round the clock care to carefully manage his condition.

There is currently no cure for T1D, an autoimmune condition where the body attacks its own insulin-producing cells.

Humans need insulin, a chemical which helps move the sugars broken down from the food we eat into the body's cells.

Lewis's parents Denise and Jason, who live in the Penrith area, are now launching a fundraising campaign to support research.

They hope their efforts can help find a cure for T1D, which affects around 400,000 people in the UK including more than 29,000 children.

Their first event is a garden tea party in Stainton, near Penrith, to which they want to invite all local families living with the condition.

Denise, the founder and managing director of Razzamataz Theatre School, said: "Unfortunately in January we suspected something wasn't right. Lewis was drinking a lot of water and he had very heavy nappies. We knew it was an unusual thirst.

"I was at my annual conference at the North Lakes Hotel in Penrith when Jason got the results on January 30. Our doctor said to get Lewis to hospital immediately as his blood levels were through the roof.

"I left the conference and went straight to the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle. They were pretty sure at that point it was diabetes when we were on the children's ward and the tests later confirmed it."

The Gosneys, who also have a nine-year-old son, Callum, have learned a lot about the condition since the diagnosis.

"People say it is so easy to manage, that it's a walk in the park but in reality it is a life-threatening condition," said Denise.

"There is no cure at the moment and people's awareness of diabetes can often be very different to reality."

She added: "I don't want Lewis to be defined by this and there is no reason why he shouldn't go on and lead a full life but at the moment it is hard.

"He is only two. He can't speak yet and he doesn't know his body so he can't communicate when something's not right.

"Toddlers are what they call hypo unaware; they can have seizures and slip into a coma. So we're watching Lewis like a hawk.

"We also have to set alarms through the night to check on him in case he has a hypo through the night."

Denise and Jason, a health and safety manager for Bourne Leisure, have been injecting Lewis regularly with insulin for the last six weeks.

This week he is being fitted with a pump to help monitor and administer it.

Denise said: "I will be doing everything I can to raise money to help find a cure. One day Lewis will turn around and tell me to stop following him and looking after him.

"Even though there is no cure today it doesn't mean there couldn't be one in 16 or 18 years time when Lewis is ready to go into the world as an adult."

She is also planning to walk Hadrian's Wall in June in aid of research charity JDRF.

Local families affected by T1D who want to attend the garden party on April 22 should contact Denise on 07801 843 077. Tickets are £5 and include refreshments.

Companies and organisations wishing to donate auction lots are also welcome to get in touch.