Phones for newly diagnosed T1D families.

Hi Friends,

On Saturday 14th October I will be walking the 28kms from Palm Beach to Manly to raise funds to purchase mobile phones for children newly diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

This date will mark the one year anniversary of our beautiful son George’s diagnosis with Type 1. Those that have gone before us promised us a rollercoaster of a year and it has certainty been that. From excruciating heartbreak for our little boy in the early days to an everyday sense of resolve and determination now that we have caught our breath, it’s been a huge year for our family. Witnessing George’s bravery and grace over the last year, watching him adjust to a schedule of multiple daily injections and finger pricks , we really got to see what our little boy is made of. We could not be more proud.

So why the donation of phones ?

Today blood glucose levels are monitored continuously by sensors worn on the body. These Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGM’s) communicate via a phone app and therefore require that families wishing to use this technology keep a phone with their child at all times. Without access to a CGM and a phone , parents and children are burdened with the need for multiple painful finger pricks 24 hours a day. This includes waking children multiple times a night to check their blood sugar is within safe limits. The good news is that CGM technology replaces the need for all these checks . Another of its many benefits is that it will sound an alarm when glucose levels are dangerously low or high ; CGM users no longer need to rely on symptoms alone which means more time in the target range and a reduced risk of ongoing health complications.

The impact of CGM’s on both the management and the quality of life of people with T1D could not be overstated. They are life- saving and sanity-preserving. Our families ability to meet the challenges of type 1 improved immediately and immensely once CGMs were part of our management strategy.

What is our aim?

Our goal is for each new family diagnosed through the Royal North Shore Paediatric Endocrine Unit to be gifted a phone for the remainder of 2023. With one child diagnosed every week , that translates to the donation of 12 phones. Now more than even a serious health diagnosis can bring undue financial strain , the gift of a phone can alleviate an expensive and time consuming burden.

Thank you for any support you can provide . It means the world to my family and the families of those coming after us.