Why did the insulin die in my pancreas?

A lot of progress has been made since Lance was diagnosed 6 years ago.

I still recall an early conversation with our endocrinologist. I very innocently asked about the possibility of a cure.

He inhaled slightly, and said, “Ten years ago, I would have said “About ten years time,” but now, I am telling you, that you will have to wait at least another ten. At least.”

I was absolutely gutted.

It was probably the most horrible sentence I had ever heard, besides, “Your son has diabetes, the insulin dependent type.”

It appears that a lot of people can’t see the reasoning behind advocates like Lance and me who continue making the effort to fundraise. It is possibly the most fantastic feeling in the world to see a container full of money that we have raised that we know will benefit our charity. The most fantastic sight is watching Lance carry it into the bank, with a grin from ear to ear. By the time he leaves, and the money is safely deposited, his story has been told in great depth to the tellers. Some have to grab a crumpled Kleenex, and others have been known to contribute an extra $20 dollars, just because Lance is who he is.

However….

“Let the government fund the charities! They’ve got billions to give to Health!!!”

“Do you really think your paltry few thousand dollars is going to make a difference?”

“Don’t torment yourself and spend the time doing something you like and enjoy, rather than begging for money.”

“In some ways, you are exploiting your son by taking advantage of his “cuteness”. 

“People will only donate if you drag Lance along with you.”

All of the above are common remarks that I hear whenever I hit the pavement with Lance, in an attempt to collect funds for JDRF Australia-an organsation that ensures that all monies raised go directly into the laboratories.

However, it seems that I have had the last laugh.

Lance got a letter addressed to him on Friday. He opened it, bursting with pride that a letter had arrived in our mailbox addressed to him, and began to read it quietly to himself. Five minutes passed; my curiosity was suddenly pricked, as I’m not accustomed to silence living with Lance.

Then….

“MUM!!!!” he exclaimed, a few decibels louder than usual, and enough to startle me.

“JDRF have found a cure! Well, kind of a cure!”

I snatched the literature from his hands, my eyes furiously scanning the page.

It wasn’t quite “THE CURE”, but a letter outlining a possible vaccine to prevent Type 1 Diabetes comes a very close second!

Australian Scientists have been working at the DIabetes Vaccine Development Centre for a few years now. Their research indicates that Type 1 Diabetes may be preventable.

At last, the Intranasal Insulin Trial (INIT) is available throughout Australia and New Zealand!!!

Intranasal Insulin Trial -A Possible Vaccine?

Before you get TOO excited…remember, it is a trial.

Therefore, people need to be identified as having a increased risk of developing Type 1 Diabetes. All that is required is a simple bloodtest.

If the results show that you have the antibodies-a marker of the immune attack on beta cells-the test can be offered free of charge to determine your risk of acquiring Type 1 Diabetes in the future.

Before you continue reading, please be aware that the test is only eligible to those who have an immediate family member with type 1 diabetes, (mother, father, sister, brother, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, half-brother or half-sister.)  (Unfortunately, I don’t fulfill the two requirements to participate in the trial. I have the blood relative with Type 1 Diabetes, but I turned 31 this year.) I would prefer a young sibling of one of Lance’s friends to take my place anyway.

You MUST be aged between 4 and 30 years to participate.

So if you are eligible, how can this trial benefit you?

The trial (INIT II) will determine if an intranasal spray can STOP the immune attack on the beta cells, and PREVENT or DELAY the onset of Type 1 Diabetes!

Participants in the trial are given a nasal spray to use ONCE A DAY FOR A WEEK, THEN ONCE A WEEK FOR A YEAR.

Insulin administered this way acts like a vaccine on the immune tissue in the membrane of the nose. Therefore it is not absorbed into the bloodstream and does not affect blood sugar levels.

INIT II has shown no significant side effects in children and young adults who were positive for antibodies.

YOU COULD HELP PREVENT TYPE 1 DIABETES.

For more information, call 1300 138 712. (Australia)

or visit www.stopdiabetes.com.au

I can’t forget our neighbours in New Zealand..

Call 09 3737599 ext 87897 (Auckland)

03 3640448 (Christchurch)

or visit www.stopdiabetes.co.nz

This trial is an amazing opportunity for those who have a child with Type 1, and who have had silent fears concerning their other children also developing the condition. The antibody test is positive in only 2-3% of relatives of a family member with diabetes. Therefore, if you were tested, you would probably have a negative result.

However, if a positive antibody test came back, it would be the greatest gift you could give to your child and your family, simply by participating in the INIT II trial.

We have the truly amazing and dedicated scientists and researchers to profusely thank for working so tirelessly on this trial. Thanks must also go to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF Australia) and the National Health and Medical Research of Australia, who funded this trial through the Diabetes Vaccine Development Centre.

If INIT II proved successful as a Type 1 Diabetes Vaccine, it would be one of the greatest medical advances in my lifetime. I received an email from another mother who received the same information. She asked me if I was sad that INIT II could help so many, but held nothing beneficial for Lance. I quickly responded that not for one second, would I want any child to go through what my son, and all my other young friends with Type 1must endure on a frustrating daily basis.

This is a true blessing, and if Lance had siblings, I would have them tested immediately. Kids so very much deserve to be kids, and knowing how to count carbohydrates before they can master addition confidently is simply nothing short of a tragedy.

I feel proud that our fundraising efforts could have been used to fund this trial. Even if it was used to pay for the DVDC’s lightbulbs and test tubes, it still made a difference. ;) 

Every May in Australia, it is Jelly Baby Month.

I am a JDRF Youth Ambassador, so it is very important for me to put on my t-shirt and lapel badge and fundraise as much as I can.

I was busy with schoolwork this year, so I didn’t have as much time to go out with my Mum and introduce myself. When I introduce myself, I also introduce my Diabetes. I always make sure that people know that I have Type 1 Diabetes, and that it wasn’t my parent’s fault, or my fault that I have this condition.

Mum organised for 3 huge boxes of Jelly Babies to be delivered to our house with Georgina from JDRF in Brisbane. Most people love Jelly Babies, so I was pretty confident that I would sell them all.

We worked, selling Jelly Babies on weekends and on public holidays. Some prople bought ten packets after they found out what kids like me go through. Everyone was very kind. I know this sounds really childish, but I was really disappointed when I discovered that I had only raised $288. My Mum explained that when you are selling items that only cost $2 each, it takes a long time to make a lot of money.

I am very proud that, along with the $288, that I have now raised $6000 for JDRF Australia. This year, I did it all by myself too. Mum just came along to make sure I was safe. I even knew how much change to give people if they didn’t have the correct change.

I have my fingers crossed that JDRF Australia makes 1 million dollars this year: The Tenth Year of the Jelly Baby.

JDRF deserve and appreciate every little bit of money that they receive. They make me feel special for having Type 1 Diabetes. I’m so glad that I can help them from time to time.

After a very trying, emotional and frustrating few weeks, I feel I can finally face reading the words that describe the dilemmas that have occurred since my last post.

Lance has become very accustomed to waking up, and handing over his morning urine sample. We have been collecting urine in the morning even before we get to say “Good Morning.” We then walk it up to the pathology centre, where it gets labelled, and tested.

He’s asked a few questions, but he hasn’t been disturbed by having to urinate into a plastic jar. He mainly wants to know what the doctor is looking for. The doctor is looking for elevated levels of albumin, but I haven’t told him that. He is a little boy with a lot on his mind at the moment.

We have been planning a trip to Sydney for ages now. and because Diabetes always comes first, we have had to postpone it temporarily. My brother and his new partner are dying to see Lance, and my sister and her husband have recently moved state, and I desperately need to see some friendly faces. We cannot go until we have a few more tests done.

I know and share Lance’s Type 1 Diabetes.

I tolerate and swear daily about the limitations of preparing and eating a coeliac diet. Still, I can smile.

I rub Lance’s back and comfort him when his diabetes-related gastric reflux condition flares up. He curls up into a ball and winces due the sharp pains in his stomach that radiate through to his back, and begs me to make him a hot water bottle. Thankfully, his medication has quietened this problem right down, but on occasions, he still deals with high levels of pain and uncomfortablity. It always dies down, and we smile and take a sigh, grateful that another episode is over.

However, after a 7am call from the Pathology Lab, asking me to repeat Lance’s first urine collections, my heart was firmly planted in my throat.

During my absence, I have become accustomed to a new term, known as albuminuria.

A word associated with kidney damage, late stage Diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease..

 Not my son. Hasn’t he tolerated enough?

Apparently, every child with Type 1 Diabetes under the care of an endocrinologist or a paediatrician is tested for elevated levels of albumin once every year, especially after they hit the 5 year diagnosis mark. Lance has just had his 6th year blood work done, and his levels came back, elevated, and left our endocrinologist looking very awkward and confused.

I closed my eyes, felt my throat closing up, and blinked away streams of hot tears.

We shook hands, and my son and I walked away from his consultation rooms. Lance had obviously not been affected by phrases such as “kidney damage” and “abmormal levels.” He was more interested in the gluten free cookies we always indulge in after an appointment.

I handed him a ten dollar note, and watched him approach the waitress and ask for his cookies. Is it any wonder that people don’t think that “he doesn’t look sick.” In fact, I was filled with admiration for how tall and lean he has become, how his speech has become highly articulate, and he knows the perfect way to behave as a customer, and may I add, a perfect gentleman. He had bright rosy cheeks, and azure blue beaming from his dancing eyes.

So..after ten days of tests, phone calls, missing test results, repeated tests, unnecessary bloodwork, waiting for up to 2 days for his specialist to return my phone call, practising smiling and looking happy in the mirror so as not to alert Lance that there was a problem, I finally have a diagnosis, and another specialist appointment; it’s more of a, “So..what’s next?” consultation.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank with all my heart, the countless messages, phone calls, comments on my blog from strangers, pick-me-up gifts from friends, fresh flowers delivered to my house and follow up concern for Lance’s wellbeing…the fact that people cared enough to keep Lance in their thoughts means so very much. I haven’t been able to answer the phone or even turn on my computer over the past weeks; I felt that it would only take a kind gesture or a familiar voice to set me off, and I was afraid that if I started crying, I wouldn’t be able to stop. I have had to keep my emotions intact and in control for Lance’s sake; he falls apart if he sees me distressed or upset. He will do practically ANYTHING to stop me from crying. I don’t want him to remember his mother as a chronic emotional wreck when he is older. (That doesn’t mean that the minute he falls asleep each evening, that I’m not sobbing my heart out.) It takes great restraint to keep tears at bay all day long, I can tell you! Then there’s my family. If I even have a faint quiver in my voice, they are immediately petrified that I will become distressed. It hurts them. It hurts me that they think I should keep a stiff upper lip, too.

So that’s the situation. I will keep up to date with Lance’s pending test results. He is happy, and is loving the school holidays at the moment.

Oh yes. To the doctor who suggested “dialysis as a future option”, late on a Friday afternoon, leaving me an absolute zombie for two agonising days…I am considering getting a voodoo doll made that represents you, to use at my leisure. The following Monday, Lance’s specialist soon knocked that thought out of my head, asking me “who on earth told me such a dreadful inaccuracy.” He knows it was you, so maybe you might like to consider your bedside manner when dealing with future clients. That’s if you haven’t been demoted or asked to take permanent leave.

If you haven’t had your child tested for microalbuminuria, and they have been diagnosed for over five years, please suggest that your doctor includes the test along with the 3 monthly A1C request at your next visit. Diabetes has just too many nasty little surprises that you must never assume your child is immune from.

Again, thank you for the love and prayers. It helped so much to know that we were in loved ones’ thoughts.

I have a list of humourous diabetes-related slogans that I endeavour to print on t-shirts…that’s a dream for when Lance is a little older, and the current dramas of oscillating BSLs and waiting-for-the-pump become issues of the past.

On a particularly miserable Monday morning, my extremities were about to snap. Yes,despite living in a sunburnt country, we happen to reside in a notoriously cold city, known for its westerly winds and early morning frosts.I had just muttered a list of expletives as I tiptoed across the icy floorboards to grab Lance’s insulin. The reason being that my 2am bsl check that I perform on Lance nightly flashed an offensive 19.5mmol/L at me. I couldn’t believe it. He was 7.7mmol/L before we went to bed. I began assembling the insulin pen it so I could administer the life-serum to my sleeping son. Before I left the kitchen, I held it at eye level, whilst checking for air bubbles, and said out loud, ” Pleeeease do your job, you’ve been terribly slack lately!” in an exasperated, pleading tone.

The insulin was delivered into a perfectly exposed spot on Lance’s tummy, thanks to a button that had come undone on his Tranformers pyjama shirt. I was thankful that I didn’t have to put my icy hands on his warm little body. I was too wired to go to sleep, so I plotted a few days blood sugar trends on www.sugarstats.com. All done. I googled the word: “pancreas” just for the hell of it. I had already had a conversation with an insulin pen, found myself drumming out the rhythm of the theme song that gets so much airplay at our house-…Transformers, more than meets the eye..” with two innocent pencils on a stack of books, so why not look at a bunch of pancreas pics whilst I was at it? I mean, I know it isn’t standard 2am behaviour to engage in, but after the craziness of the past weeks, it made sense that I appeared to be somewhat delirious.( My only witness was our devoted whippet, He isn’t going to tell anyone about his Master’s mother and her early morning cuckoo antics…)

The nights events came to an unexectedly hilarious peak when I discovered this.

I was so intrigued to see such creative and hysterical use of a pancreas! I chuckled quietly to myself as I read on. The folks at www.iheartguts.com are devoted to making internal organs come to life with snappy little catchphrases, and their products are perfect for those with a troublesome condition that is usually wrapped up in a stockpile of seriousness and only ever mentioned in hushed tones.

 They boast an impressive range of t-shirts, featuring all of your favourite organs for men and women. (Lance is getting the “Gimme Some Sugar” shirt in a ladies Size Small.) They have stickers, pins and even plush, colourful replicas of your sick, tired, or damaged organ, all with a guaranteed belly laugh or two.

 Why not give his pancreas a voice? It may as well be used for something..

Ha. I just imagined a sad little pancreas with a weather-beaten, six-year-old “For Lease” sign stuck in the middle of it. The humour is rubbing off!

For anyone who has problems with their liver, pain from their kidneys, a literally “broken” heart, a devastatingly vacant uterus, synapses that are slightly askew in their brain,or a spleen that is more trouble than it’s worth, you must visit www.iheartguts.com , even if only for a good old-fashioned guffaw. (However, something tells me that the uber cool design, plus the given ability to have a laugh about your imperfect organ, and the passion shown towards guts in general will find you with your credit card in hand, ready to purchase a rib-tickler. It worked first shot with me!

I’m tired of Diabetes being so serious and overwhelming. I caught myself frowning in the mirror recently, and I actually gasped aloud at the deep folds of skin that have developed in my brow. ( I quickly made an appointment and dashed off to get a professional sea weed facial and a miniscule jar of cream that allegedly “plumpens prominent wrinkles with continual use”… It worked psychologically anyway..) The first thing that came to mind was Botox,( I then slapped myself for being so absurd and narcissistic,) and just a few seconds later, I decided that I really need to concentrate on how a quality of life that Lance doesn’t  know exists, and  that I have long forgotten existed will be handed back to us significantly, once we commence insulin pump therapy, and, that one day, Lance’s pancreas will welcome a bunch of excited, lively, brand new islet cells that will deliver insulin when required without any intervention from him or me.

Thank you SO much to the team at I Heart Guts.

You are the first to make me laugh-out-loud and slap my thigh at my son’s defunct pancreas. 

There is an increasing number of Australians suffering from injuries or auto-immune diseases travelling to India to receive controversial embryonic stem cell treatment.

So much so, that this week, two separate research groups, one from Monash University, the other from the Australian Stem Cell Centre are on the verge of receiving permission as early as this Friday to begin the first trials regarding cloning embryonic stem cells left over from IVF treatments.

Their applications are the first submitted since the Federal Government legislation allowing therapeutic cloning came into a force a year ago.

I have read two stand out stories about the treatment provided in India. One concerned a paralyzed mother who was told by specialists that she would never walk again.  After her treatment in India concluded, she returned to Australia with the ultimate gift: the use of her legs.

 The other concerned a 35 year old Brisbane Dad who was diagnosed at age 9 with optic atrophy, an eye condition where sight slowly deteriorates, leaving the sufferer able to recognise only dark and light shapes. After seven weeks of treatment and $45 000 later, his optic nerve is growing back and his eyesight has miraculously returned, reversing 15 years of degradation.

This man’s story does not stop here. Brisbane Dad also has Type 1 Diabetes. After embryonic stem cell treatment, his daily insulin dosage has decreased by a third after returning from India.

His Australian GP has called the improvement in his sight and diabetes “significant.”

Regardless of further expense, Brisbane Dad is returning to India for his last stage of treatment.

He is among 300 patients to be treated in New Delhi by controversial stem-cell pioneer Dr Geeta Shroff. The treatment, forbidden in Australia, involves collecting stem cells from embryos and injecting them into injured or diseased patients.

When taken from embryos, the cells are undeveloped and are better able to replace damaged tissue.

Dr Shroff has collected a bank of stem cells from a single embryo.

Until my own child was diagnosed with this frustrating and life-impairing condition, I would have never agreed to using live human cells from an embryo for medical intervention.

However, I have to admit that my heart races slightly when I read about the incredible success and transformation of lives as a result of this contoversial treatment.

Scientists are ecstatic at the prospect of being able to cure Type 1 Diabetes, Cancer and MS through their findings.

Monash University’s immunology and stem cell laboratory director, Professor Richard Boyd, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that there are strict guidelines for any therapeutic cloning research.

“It’s completely forbidden to implant this so-called embryo into anybody for the purposes of growing a new human … that is completely against the law and will not happen, In fact as soon as this embryonic form is created it basically is an egg which has been implanted with the nucleus … it’s a mature cell so there’s no sperm egg fusion at all in this.”

Despite Type 1 Diabetes becoming more and more prevelant, and cancer touching so many families, members of the Australian Government and many ethical and religious groups are outraged that this study is being introduced into our country.

I do know that if the heartbreak these diseases cause could be irradicated that it would be such a miraculous advance in medical science. This is the first time I have felt confident and willing enough to engage in the debate that has already caused sparks and divided the Nation.

Permission could still be overturned at Monash University, however I feel that with the new results discovered in India, that we will soon be hearing more miraculous stories concerning the breakthrough of conditions that are all lifethreatening, and life impairing.

I’d love to hear opinions from other parents/family/or people with Type 1 Diabetes. Despite your beliefs, if a child or adult in your family was deemed insulin independent, would you be outraged or supportive regarding HOW the miracle came to be?

Austin Cooper was fifteen years old when diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.

He had to walk away from his old life, and embrace what his new life with Diabetes held in store from him.

After going through booklets and scouring the net, Austin was still not comfortable with the chunky chains he needed to wear for life-saving identification. It doesn’t make a young person diagnosed with this  condition feel any better about it when they are presented with clunky, unhip bracelets with a red cross in the middle screaming, ”I’m a walking emergency!!”

In fact, it’s quite poetic.

When I see people with Diabetes dragging the clunky versions of medical ID along with them , it almost feels like they have resigned themselves to the fact that they are “chained” to Diabetes.

Austin tried four different versions of the “chain” before deciding that the market for Medical ID was left behind in a time way before his years. He couldn’t make himself wear what was available, so he decided that he needed to make a difference.

Look no further. Austin Cooper has just brought bling to sting.

Austin’s website, www.evasionid.com, showcases his two very modern, sleek, stylish and funky medical ID designs. They are suitable for anyone with Type 1 Diabetes; on the front,they have a stainless steel engraved medical panel, “Type 1 Diabetes“ stamped on the back and are 100% leather to boot!

Not only that, but with every purchase, Austin donates 10% to our favourite charity, JDRF.

Take a look at Austin’s Mission Statement on www.evasionid.com.

EvasionID boasts a range of funkalicious, fashionable bracelets that are perfect for day/work/evening wear. They are unisex, stong, durable and very affordable!!  In fact, I announce here on this post, chunky, clunky ID chains-be gone with you!

Whether you are newly diagnosed, a teen, or an adult of any age, Evasion ID has a modern, fresh new approach for your Type 1 Diabetes Medical Identification requirements.

Just in case you missed how much I love Austin Cooper’s new diabetes innovation, check out his website

www.evasionid.com

(My son, Lance already has his picked out. Actually, he wants one in two colours to mix and match.)

While I’m at it, I think huge kudos need to be given to Austin, one so new to life with Diabetes, yet one so determined to honour himself through his creativity, AND the entire Diabetes community worldwide. With 10% of his profits going to JDRF, he is also contributing to help find the cure that kids like my Lance and Austin deserve so, so much.

We, who put fashion before function, we praise you, Austin Cooper!!

“After demands from parents, the government has agreed to subsidise the cost of insulin pumps for people aged under 18 with type 1 diabetes from November this year, at a cost of $5.5 million over four years.”

OUR FEDERAL BUDGET RESULTS WERE ANNOUNCED TODAY…..

I CAN’T BELIEVE WE DID IT!!!!

OUR CHILDREN WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES FINALLY HAVE A CHANCE TO LEAD AN INDEPENDENT LIFE, AND ENJOY GOOD HEALTH AGAIN!!!!!

WE COULDN’T AND WOULDN’T HAVE THIS RESULT WITHOUT THE POWERS THAT BE AT JDRF AUSTRALIA.

IF IT WASN’T 4.34am, I’D RING EVERY MOTHER OR FATHER WITH A CHILD WHO HAS DIABETES SO THAT WE CAN CELEBRATE!!!!

YOU BETTER KEEP YOUR WORD, KEVIN RUDD!!!! BUT FOR NOW-THANK GOD YOU ARE OUR PRIME MINISTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS, EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

There are four fluffy paws in Doggy Heaven for the first time tonight.

Liz and James’s  beautiful dog passed away this morning.

He was not even 2 years old.

 His Mum and Dad loved him so much.

My heart hurts for them.

No more pain Carbi…I hope you meet lots of new friends in Heaven!

The worst part is that I can’t do anything to make Liz and James feel better.

It makes me feel like crying, if I lost my Chino boy, I would feel like a part of me was gone. Carbi’s Mum and Dad must be very, very sad at the moment.

He and his brother have their own website. If you have a look, you can see what a gorgeous dog he was, and how much he was loved.

Rest in peace, Carbi.

Everytime I walk past an NDSS pharmacy, I can’t help but saunter by and investigate the Diabetes shelves, in case they just happen to have something new and different. (Believe it or not, Lance and I actually get excited when we find a new product on the market..)

I ran my eye down the shelves dedicated to Diabetes.

Glucometers.

Glucometers.

Glucometers.

Lancets..Lancets..Lancets..

Electrode Strips.

Sharps Bins.

Glucose Tablets.

Ketone Stri…

Wait a second? Glucose Tablets? In a tube? That look identical to those that Liz ordered from the States!

And on closer inspection,  OH MY STARS, THEY ARE!!!!!

FInally, Australia now has a distributor for the BEST glucose tablets thatLance ever used for treating severe hypos.

Previously, we were jumping up and down when we found out that Fifty50 Pharmacy in America had a variety of appealing flavours of glucose tablets, that really gave a pesky hypo a swift kick back up to Safe Mmol/L Land by the time the tablet had been absorbed! 

Liz and I agreed that we would take it turns to order them from America, as it turned out to be an expensive exercise, with postage and currency conversion.

However…A  Distributor in South Australia now has them stocked in NDSS pharmacies!

AND..it gets better! They are only $4.95 for a tube of 10!!!

I am currently trying to contact the distributor to see if other flavours can be ordered, because the day I clamped my eyes on that tube,  I knew I needed to spread the word!!

Dex 4 Glucose Tablets are distributed by :

P.La Haybe Agency

5 Renown Ave, Seacliff Park

South Australia 5049.

In this post, I wanted to write about my favourite Uncle Dan. 

My Mum did an interview on ABC South East Queensland radio on Friday over the phone. I watched her and listened to her. She explained to everybody that was listening how important the Jelly Baby is to a person with Type 1 Diabetes. (Even my Pop was listening at his home and he was so shocked to hear his daughter talking on the radio!!!)

The lady that interviewed Mum said that I had become the “Face of Diabetes” in our city!!! This means that I can help people with Diabetes who are too shy, sad or sick by raising money for  medicines and better equipment, and giving them hope by promising that I am going to try my hardest to help scientists by giving them money that I raise, and educating politicians about what we have to go through every single day.

Kevin Rudd is the Prime Minister of Australia.

I saw him on the news recently on holiday in China.

People with Diabetes can go on holidays to China, but they can’t leave their Diabetes at home.

It is with you for life.

When I go on holiday, my Diabetes supplies and emergency kit is bigger than my luggage. It’s more important too, a thousand times more important, in fact.

It takes up so much room and time no matter where you go or what you do.

I think that sometimes people forget that.

I would like to sit down with Kevin Rudd and tell him about kids with Type 1 Diabetes and what they go through.

(Oh, and even though I know this man will NEVER read this because he was a stranger, but I just wanted to say, that when you were talking to my Mum and me about Type 1 Diabetes, and you told my Mum that she needed to “toughen me up with a good few wallops and that would see me better in no time,” you made me so mad.  Sad at the same time as well.)

(I thought my Mum was going to chase you she was so furious.)

We sat down on a bench together and we were angry for a few minutes, and then we laughed at how silly you were to think that hitting or punishing someone would make their Diabetes go away.

When I come to think of it, it’s the funniest concept I’ve ever heard!

Then there are the people like my Uncle Dan. He is the type of man who would help anyone with an illness, even though he isn’t well himself. He helps charities and uses his own free time. He lives in Sydney and goes to University there. He would talk to anyone who needed help. He has a heart that is so big!  He is a member of JDRF, and he always emails us if he has heard any new exciting information about a cure. ( He is my Mum’s Info Tech Guru and brother. He makes my Mum laugh a lot, and sometimes when she has been looking after me all day when I have had a severe hypo, I don’t hear her laugh at all. If Mum talks to Uncle Dan though, her spirit comes alive again. He knows a LOT about computers!!!  He would do anything to see me free from Type 1 Diabetes. ( I would do anything to see him free from his pain too.)

 I know how much he really does love me now, because he sat down and actually made out a donation for me to go towards Jelly Baby Month. That was one of the most special things anyone has ever done for me. I will remember that when I am an old man; how my Uncle Dan helped out my charity, for me.

If every person with Type 1 Diabetes gave $1, we would already have over $140 000. Scientists and researchers could do so much with that!!! Donations don’t need to be big. Even $1 is one dollar closer to helping buy some important equipment.

I love you Uncle Dan. Last year, JDRF sent me a certificate that said that I was a Jelly Baby Hero.

This year, I am passing the title onto you.

Note from Kate:

If you are not in Australia, or you like to do your shopping online, JDRF have an online store that displays all of the merchandise that is available during Jelly Baby Month.  There is nothing over $10 in value, however there are some items that would make terrific gifts or even stocking fillers for Christmas time. (Any purchase over $2 is tax deductible.) The funds from any purchase made goes directly to JDRF Australia, who offer the best Diabetes research and support for children like Lance, and the tens of thousands of fellow sufferers who live with Type 1 Diabetes in Australia.