New hope for Type 1 Diabetes patients
A young Australian is diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes every four hours.
There is no cure.
It is a round the clock challenge demanding constant care and vigilance.
But dozens of young Sydney suffers are to take part in a world first trial offering real hope.
Seven-year-old Lacie looks healthy but she has just been diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes.
“It was a big shock and nothing is the same anymore; meals, school, going to the shops,” Lacie’s mother Michelle Walker said.
Her day is now ruled by blood tests and injections – up to a dozen every 24 hours.
“So you’re giving her a pin prick in her finger and drawing blood, administering insulin into her side before every meal,” Ms Walker said.
Lacie is gradually learning to do it for herself and will also learn this routine never stops for the rest of her life.
“Medically it is challenging, financially it is challenging and emotionally it is difficult as well,” Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation chief executive officer Mike Wilson said.
They are about to start a world first trial with 66 Australian children recently diagnosed with the disease.
The drug Tocilizumab is already used to treat arthritis. It is hope it will slow down diabetes in its early stages when a lot of the damage occurs.
“So what we want to do is keep their pancreas functioning normally, and this drug works on a mechanism that may allow those cells to stay alive and continue to make insulin,” Dr Aaron Kowalski said.
Every day six youngsters are diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes.
Currently there are 122,000 Type 1 Diabetes patients Australia-wide.
If not treated correctly they risk damage to eyes, kidneys and hearts.
“And I thought, no, not my child, no … we’ve got to change this. I’m not going to accept that for her,” Ms Walker said.
Morning news break – October 15
