A new campaign by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) is helping to raise awareness of type 1 diabetes in UK secondary schools.
The online ‘Talking T1’, which is supported by healthcare firm Lilly, is designed to help school pupils and their families learn about the autoimmune disease that affects some 350,000 Britons.
It also intends to help teachers and school managers understand the issues associated with type 1, and to enable them to support a child with type 1 in their school.
One of those supporting the initiative is 14 year old Cloé Waterfield, of Plymstock, Devon. The teenager, who has been a type 1 diabetic for half her life, features in an online film giving an insight into her daily routine, which involves multiple finger pricks to test blood sugar levels and regular use of an insulin pump.
The ‘Day in the Life’ video is part of an information resource pack that aims to show what the thousands of children living with the life-threatening condition go through each day.
“I wanted to show that just because I have type 1, it doesn’t stop me doing anything. I control my type 1, instead of letting diabetes control men,” said rugby fanatic Cloé.
“I would say to children who have been diagnosed, not to let it stop you doing what you want to do, and make sure you listen to your body and the professionals in order to help keep it under control.”
JDRF CEO, Karen Addington commented: “We are aiming to educate the educators to raise awareness and understanding of type 1 diabetes and gain support in our fight to find the cure.
“There are currently 29,000 children across the country living with type 1 and the peak age of diagnosis is between 10 and 14 years.”
For more information on Talking T1, visit jdrf.org.uk/secondary.

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