Learning about life with diabetes

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/wales/8359959.stm

Version 0 of 1.

Holly's family say her diagnosis has altered all of their lives

Nearly two years ago Holly's mother thought her nine-year-old daughter had hurt her arm while playing.

But a visit to hospital revealed she had type-1 diabetes and needed daily insulin injections.

On World Diabetes Day, the schoolgirl's mother says that diagnosis has changed their lives.

It is a tale that chimes with Alun Davies. He has spent 20 years playing rugby, a stalwart of Neath RFC before taking on the role as the Welsh Rugby Union's player welfare manager.

"When I was diagnosed one of the nurses said she didn't think I could play rugby any more and that was the biggest trauma," said the 47-year-old, who lives in Seven Sisters, Neath.

"But I had a very good consultant and he said we would manage it. He said we would work to fit the diabetes around my sport.

The difficulty started when I stopped playing Alun Davies

"I knew that being active, training four times a week and playing twice a week would help me manage it with my insulin.

"I can say that over the 20 years I was playing I never had a problem."

He is one of the 14,000 people diagnosed in Wales with type-1 diabetes. Unlike type-2 of the disease, it is a condition that cannot be prevented with lifestyle changes.

But his successful rugby career provides hope and inspiration to Holly's family.

"We need to hear more about people like this," said Holly's mother, Donna, from south Wales.

"Holly's diagnosis has completely changed the whole family's lives.

"I had to give up my job, so I could make sure I was on hand at school every lunchtime for Holly, so she could have her injection."

Strict regime

Now 10, Holly has taken charge of monitoring her condition and has learned to inject herself.

But it is a strict regime. She needs to check her blood sugar levels constantly, before every meal and after any exercise, including her school PE lessons.

"It's the finger pricks to check her blood that hurt the most," explained her mother. "On a good day, she'll have to do it six times a day."

Everyday events for a child that most take for granted need planning.

"She had to eat meals at very regular times, starting with breakfast at 7.30 in the morning," explained Donna.

"If she has any exercise, like going out on her trampoline, she then has to check her blood levels.

"If she does cross-country at school on a Monday, it takes her about four days to recover, which means she can't do dancing on a Tuesday."

But the family say Holly is coping with her condition, and remains a healthy, energetic school girl.

"She's very brave, a real character. She's even taken time to fund raise for the charity, Diabetes UK," added her mother.

To mark this World Diabetes Day we want people with diabetes to know that there is a good range of education courses out there Dai Williams, Diabetes UK Cymru

For Alun Davies, the real challenge in tackling his diabetes was not during his playing days.

"The difficulty started when I stopped playing," he recalled.

After 34 years of dealing with the condition as a player, he desperately needed to re-educate himself, and so found himself on a course being run by a health team in Swansea.

"There was a lot of going back over old ground and it also touched upon new developments and new technologies.

"There were eight of us on the course and we were all totally different so it was good to talk about our different experiences."

As part of World Diabetes Day, he is keen to see education courses promoted to those suffering from both type-1 and type-2 of the disease across Wales.

"My lifestyle has been changed and it was ideal for me to get re-educated and look at how to manage it all," he added.

Dai Williams, national director of Diabetes UK Cymru, said: "More than 146,000 people in Wales are now diagnosed with diabetes.

"One of the biggest challenges is how to help people to manage the condition and ensure they have access to the best education and information.

"To mark this World Diabetes Day we want people with diabetes to know that there is a good range of education courses out there.

"These courses can help them to improve their blood glucose readings, which will reduce their risk of developing serious complications such as strokes, blindness, heart disease and kidney disease.