Young diabetic petitions for dolls that girls with diabetes can relate to

[DCUK NewsBot]

A young diabetic patient in America is campaigning for a new children's doll aimed at girls with diabetes. Anja Busse, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in December 2013, has launched a petition for American toy manufacturing company Mattel to extend its American Girl line of dolls to include one that she and other young girls living with diabetes can relate to. The 11-year-old, from Antigo, Wisconsin, explains on her Change.org page that having a doll with an insulin pump and other diabetes accessories would mean a lot to her and make thousands of other young girls with diabetes really happy. "I want to have diabetic accessories for my American Girl doll so she is just like me. I just want everyone to feel good about themselves no matter if they have something "wrong with them", she writes. She adds there's no reason for the American Girl product range not to include toy diabetic supplies, seeing as the company already manufacture bald dolls for girls that have cancer and ones with other medical accessories like wheelchairs and allergy shots. Anja's mother Ingrid explained that when her daughter was diagnosed at the hospital, the doctors sent her home with a bunch of diabetes books to read, but "nothing fun". She said: "We thought it'd be really neat - especially for girls - to have something to play with their dolls, so their doll can be just like them." The petition to Mattel has already gained more than 2,200 signatures, and Anja hopes to reach the 150,000 mark. For more information, visit http://chn.ge/1c4lHrI

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