Diabetes Fun Day

Having diabetes isn’t that much fun, but thanks to Inverell Community Health staff young people with diabetes are being encouraged to have some fun and meet other young people coping with the condition.

Primary Health Care Nurse Tania Mills said there has been a recent increase in the number of young people being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes around the Inverell area, similar to the increase experienced across most western countries.

"The reasons for developing Type 1 diabetes are not clear, but typically it affects young people whose pancreas fails to produce insulin. Insulin is needed to break down glucose (sugars) in the blood so that it can pass into cells to provide the body with the energy it needs.

"These young people need to inject insulin several times a day, so that they don’t get excessively tired and develop other complications. They also have to control what they eat so they don’t get sugar ‘spikes’. It’s a lot to deal with," she said.

In an effort to support these young people and their families, Tania and Inverell Diabetes Educator Belinda Robinson got together and decided to have a Fun Day at Tingha’s Green Valley Farm.

"The Fun Day is for these kids and their parents so they will be able to share experiences and meet with other kids going through the same sort of thing. Families from Ashford, Bundarra, Tingha and Inverell will be participating.

"The day will also help to increase their knowledge about Type 1 Diabetes and realise they are not alone with their condition and that there is support out there," she said.

Tania said the fun day would be held on Sunday 9 December at Green Valley Farm, with local bus service Symes supplying a free bus there and back from Inverell.

With support from a range of other community health staff, Tania and Belinda will be providing free information and lunch for participants.

For further information, please contact Tania Mills at Inverell Community Health on 6721 9600.