Newcastle Hospitals Charity caught up with the Paediatric Diabetes team at the RVI, to find out more about World Diabetes Day and the impact this disease has on their young patients.
World Diabetes Day (14th November) is the world’s largest diabetes awareness campaign, helping to draw attention to this disease. This year (2021) is a milestone year for diabetes treatment, marking a century since the discovery of insulin.
We met with Julia Russell, Paediatric Diabetes Specialist Nurse at the Great North Children’s Hospital, and the Paediatric Diabetes team before one of their outpatient clinics. They all sported blue (including blue hair on some!) to mark this important awareness day.
A pair of young patients, both 12-years-old and living with diabetes, shared their thoughts on the disease and their experiences:
“I remember the day I got diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. I was 8 years old and we visited the doctors, and at the hospital we found out. At first I thought that it was going to be life changing… I have had it for over 4 years now and yes, I have to bolus insulin and check my blood sugars before I eat but I can still participate and enjoy things I love.”
“You can accomplish anything if you put your mind to it”. I still stand by that quote and diabetes is no exception. Living with diabetes is hard but not impossible. I stand out to everybody else since having this condition. On May 6th 2019 I thought my life would change forever and thought I wouldn’t be the same person. However having Type 1 Diabetes has shown me that I can live my life the way I want to.”
Newcastle Hospitals Charity are proud to support the Great North Children’s Hospital via our fund, The Great North Children’s Hospital Foundation.
