Dexter’s story 18 July 2024 I am 11 years old and live on the Gold Coast. I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes after a normal weekend. On the Sunday I had a really good thickshake with ice cream and all the toppings, but then sort of passed out on the couch, like I was super tired. That night Mum and Dad noticed I’d lost some weight and on reflection thought about how much water I’d been drinking lately. The next day we saw a GP who tried two finger testers but got no number, so we were sent to the Emergency Department at Tweed Hospital and I was diagnosed there. My blood glucose was 44 and my ketones were high. I was in DKA. It was really difficult to get a line into my veins because I was really weak and so skinny. Since diagnosis, after a great week in hospital with heaps of training, I haven’t really looked back! I play Rugby League for Tugun Seahawks, I play kit drums in three bands at school and I have a very active social life! I have been using a pump for nearly three years. Using a pump means I don’t have to give myself a needle every time I want to eat. It also means I can be more independent from my parents. Now I know a bit more about how to use my pump I can spend time at friends’ houses and go on school camps, all without having to worry about the needles, safety of needles, and the injections. At the moment I can have a pump because of Mum and Dad’s health insurance (which is in excess of $600 per month). Sometimes I worry about what kind of job I will get because if I don’t get a good job I won’t be able to afford the insurance I need for a pump. If the government make accessing a pump more affordable I can grow up confident that I will have the option to choose the best care for myself, the care I want, whether it be needles or pump therapy. I also know lots of DiaBuddies who can’t afford insurance and don’t have a pump. It would be nice if they got access to one too.
Blog 31 July 2024 Stephanie’s a golden girl already! Stephanie Ratcliffe, diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when she was six, is at the Paris Olympics preparing to represent Australia in the Hammer Throw. Her Dad, David Ratcliffe, is as proud as any father could be. Continue Reading
Blog 30 July 2024 National Diabetes Week 2024 unites the diabetes community in the fight for tech National Diabetes Week 2024 featured many powerful stories of people living with diabetes, highlighting the current inequities many Australians experience accessing the technology they need to live well. Continue Reading
Media releases 20 July 2024 Expert modelling shows huge cost savings for diabetes technology New research shows continuous glucose monitoring devices can dramatically reduce the risk of life-threatening diabetes-related complications including blindness, cardiovascular disease... Continue Reading