Hi all,

My name is Michelle

Last year my daughter Kiara age 7 was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and spent 3 days in hospital in DKA (diabetes ketoacidosis).

Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong autoimmune disease that destroys the body’s ability to process sugar by attacking the beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. Insulin helps convert sugar into the fuel that our bodies need. Without insulin, sugar builds up in the bloodstream in life-threatening amounts. Since people with T1D cannot produce insulin naturally, they must take it either through multiple daily injections or from an insulin pump. There is no cure for type 1 diabetes and without insulin Kiara will not be able to live.

Since diagnosis Kiara can have up to 6 insulin injections a day. These injections are extremely painful and uncomfortable. Along with these injections Kiara has multiple finger pricks to check her levels a day. To have Kiara within a healthy range is extremely challenging. When she has a hypo (low) or hyper (high) she can become very unwell, unable to focus, become irritable, pale, not able to communicate, collapse, confused and emotional.

The impact it has had on our family is extremely heartbreaking and stressful. I am constantly leaving work to assist the school to treat Kiara. The ongoing worries and emotions of Kiara's sister, father and myself to see her this way with the sleepless nights, missing work, Kiara missing school and not just being a child is not a life that we had pictured and to think this could all be improved with an insulin pump.

If Kiara was able to have an insulin pump, it would be a life changer. It would mean no multiple injections a day, less pain, less worries and make life living with type1 alot easier for her and our family. It would mean less time having hypos or hypers and more time for play, learning and just living life.

NDSS ( National Diabetes Service Scheme) does not cover the cost of an insulin pump and without private health insurance an insulin pump can cost up to $10,000. Unfortunately this cost is something we just cannot afford

We would be forever grateful for the support and help to reach our goal and give Kiara an easier life living with these autoimmune disease.

Thank you