By REBECCA BILLS
DIABETIC youth Phebe te Boekhorst has to live with daily insulin injections to survive.
Diagnosed at the age of eight with type one diabetes, the Mount Evelyn local is one of 65 other children across Victoria who attended the Diabetes Australia – Vic diabetes kids camp in Anglesea early this month.
The camp was an opportunity to offer education, information and support to promote and empower self-management for children with the condition in a safe and supervised environment.
Spokesperson from Diabetes Australia – Vic Ali Hickerson said currently there were 7236 people across the nation with type one diabetes that are aged 15 years or under.
“Time away from parents is not something that young people with type one diabetes often experience as the chronic condition is managed either with several insulin injections a day or by an insulin pump,” she said.
At the camp, Phebe, along with the other children, learnt how to give themselves insulin injections in a step forward to self-management of the condition.
“I learnt how to give myself needles in my hips and the back of my arms,” she said.
“I also learnt to be more responsible with my needles and my testing.”
Camp-goers enjoyed activities such as surfing, indoor climbing, fishing, canoeing and much, much more under the supervision of 32 volunteers, 13 diabetes nurse educators, an onsite doctor, dietician and dietician assistant.
Type one diabetes is one of the most common and fastest growing chronic conditions in Australia. Diabetes Australia – Vic said almost 200 young people living with type one diabetes miss out on diabetes camps due to a lack of funds.
To help send a child living with the condition to the camp, a tax deductable donation can be made to the organisation at www.diabetesvic.org.au.
