The Group recently sponsored Harry Paterson and his family, mum Sam and dad Neil and brother Jake, to attend a Diabetes UK Care Event weekend in Cheshire. The weekends are designed to give support, information and empower people with diabetes to enable them to maintain a normal lifestyle.
Harry who is 5 years old was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, (this is when when insulin-producing cells in the pancreas are destroyed, the cause of which is not yet fully understood) at an early age and now has to wear an insulin pump to control his Diabetes. This can be difficult for an adult, but even more so for a young child, who after all wants to join in all the fun with his friends including the rough and tumble of being a five year old. Sam, Harry’s mum, says that he has taken well to the insulin pump and in fact is quite proud of it, showing it off at every opportunity.
However it can be a strain on the family as well as the individual, and one of the main benefits of the Diabetes UK Care Event weekend is to meet other people in the same position and find out how they manage, and of course receive professional advice and information from the Diabetes UK healthcare team who run the weekends.
Harry, and all the family very much enjoyed the weekend which involved the youngsters taking part in various sporting events including; a mini Olympics and visiting a local museum as well as some gentle help and guidance on understanding their condition better. Harry made several new friends, and this – along with the organised swimming – was one of the things he enjoyed the most.
For more information on the Care Weekends:
Website: www.diabetes.org.uk/careevents
Tel: 020 7424 1000