Our Story

This is the story of how my 2 year old son, Henry, taught me the real meaning of courage and fortitude. This is the reason why I have lost 4 stone in weight in 3 months and will be running 26.2 miles around Paris next April.

I was naive to think that chronic and life threatening conditions only happen to other people. In February last year my family’s life changed forever. My youngest son, Henry, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the tender age of 20 months.

People, usually other parents, often ask me how Henry was diagnosed. Henry’s condition remained undiagnosed for several weeks and countless visits to the doctors. Without the appropriate tests being taken, the early onset of type 1 diabetes visually shares symptoms with a ‘virus’, this is particular so in young children who are unable to explain how they are feeling. Sadly, this meant my wife and I had to rush Henry into intensive care and watch him fight for his life. It was a truly harrowing and ghastly experience. Henry had to fight like hell.

The cause of type 1 diabetes is still unknown and there is no known cure yet. In medical terms, the effect of type 1 diabetes is that Henry’s body has stopped producing insulin and Henry is now insulin dependent for the rest of his life.

Diabetes is extremely intrusive, and trying to control it can best be compared to shooting a moving target (often in the dark). Henry has to have upwards of 15 finger pricks in any day and every piece of food he eats has to be weighed and the carbohydrates counted, until recently my wife and I had to inject Henry with insulin upwards of 6 times in any day. Henry has recently been fitted with an insulin pump which thankfully means he no longer has to be injected. Instead he now has a cannula fitted to him 24/7, which delivers the insulin in place of separate injections. The insulin pump acts as Henry’s life support machine and has to be constantly monitored and given the necessary information (eg. blood glucose readings, carbohydrates eaten etc) round the clock. The cannula and insulin has to be changed at 3 day intervals and whenever it gets pulled off by accident (or otherwise!).

Nighttimes bring with them their own set of challenges. Henry’s condition does not go on hold and wait in abeyance for sunrise. Henry’s blood glucose has to be monitored, and where necessary corrected, throughout the night. On a good night, Henry’s blood glucose only needs to be checked at 9pm, midnight and 3am. On a bad night, it will need to checked and corrected countless times.

Henry is an inspiration as is every child that lives with this life sentence - he never cries or complains, he just accepts what we have to do to him, smiles and lives life like every other 2 year old. Henry is the bravest person I know and I am in awe of his fortitude and resilience. Henry is an incredible little boy and I’m extremely proud of him. Henry has taught me an invaluable lesson about life; it goes on. And I feel blessed on every day that it does.

The Charity

So please help me to raise money for the Norwich and Norfolk District Diabetes UK Youth Group.

The Norwich and District Diabetes Youth Group is run by volunteer parents of children with diabetes. they put time and effort to run the group as they believe it gives the children with diabetes and their families in the Norwich and District area a great networking opportunity that can really help us all deal with the day to day issues relating to Diabetes Care.

The aims of the Youth Group are to provide a fun and supportive framework for our members and their parents up to the age of 18.

They organise special activities targeted at a variety of age groups which will bring together children with the same condition in a fun and relaxing environment where they can see that they are not the only ones who have diabetes.

These events really benefit the children but also provide an excellent opportunity for parents to meet up to share experiences and solutions to problems and helps develop a framework of support outside of the hospital.

As a group they also raise funds which not only support the activities they do but also provide: -

· Help to purchase Diabetes text books for newly diagnosed patients

· Clinic Reward Vouchers for children who reduce their Hba1C results

· Support with funding of specialist equipment

· Support with the education into good diabetes care and control.

Donations 

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.