Freestyle Libre on the LTI Upate

It’s been over a year since the Abbott Freestyle Libre became available to purchase in Ireland. This product is a new way of monitoring blood glucose levels without finger pricking. Instead you use a reader device (which is just like the Freestyle Optium Neo meter) to scan a sensor that sits on your arm. And it has been a game changer in diabetes management for most who have used it.

I don’t know how many people are using the Libre in Ireland but from the chatter in the diabetes online community it would seem that the number of users is significant. And there are a lot more people who can’t afford it, so have to wait until it’s available on the Long Term Illness Scheme.

When is that going to happen? Is it going to happen?!? Any day now!!! Surely any day now. That’s my wishful thinking anyway.

If you are wondering what has happened in this process in the last 13/14 months I’ve put together a little summary which might be useful. And last June, I wrote this piece on what was happening then with the process of getting it included on the HSE long term illness scheme. I was very optimistic. I still am!

I should probably mention that I don't know anymore than any other member of the public. All the information below is in the public domain.

TIMELINE

• 2014 September Libre available in the UK and lots of Irish people were able to get their hands on it.
• 2016 November Libre available for purchase in Ireland
• 2017 February Abbott applied to include the Libre on the HSE long term illness scheme. The company published this statement on their website. With another update in August
• 2017 September NHS announced that the FreeStyle Libre will be available on the NHS from November 1 (three years this took). Diabetes Ireland’s published this statement on their reaction to the announcement.
• 2017 November 1st Libre included on an NHS reimbursement scheme
• 2017 November 27th We wait! Still.

WHAT CAN YOU DO

A lot of people, myself included, are people of action. I mean I do have a certain amount of patience but it’s has limits. So, if you would like to get this done and the Freestyle Libre included in the Long Term Illness scheme here are a couple of things you can do.

CONTACT ALL OF YOUR LOCAL TD'S

I know most of you have already done this and it's frustrating to have to do it a-gain! But this really helps strengthen the case for a speedy approval. Especially, if they hear from LOTS of their constituents. You can write a letter, email or telephone but it’s important that you contact ALL of your local TD’s. If you’re not sure who all your local elected representatives are, find them and their contact details here.

What to ask? Ask them to ask the HSE when the Freestyle Libre will be available on the Long Term Illness scheme and why it’s taking so long. They will submit a parliamentary question in the Dail that will be referred to the HSE who are legally required to answer. This is a fabulous way to spend our income tax and creates lots of extra work for people who then get motivated.

SIGN THIS PETITION

This change.org petition was started by Limerick Mum Louise Hackett, whose daughter has type 1 diabetes in December 2016. It had well over 4,000 signatures. There have been a couple of other petitions shared over the year but this one has the most signatures at well over 4,000 and it hasn’t been delivered to the Minister for Health, Simon Harris or the HSE just yet. A boost in the number of signatures would really help and then present it.

SOME MONEY SAVING TIPS IF YOU ARE ALREADY PAYING FOR YOUR LIBRE

If you are paying for your Freestyle Libre at the moment please be aware there are money saving offers such as the occasional Free Shipping, etc. on the Freestyle Libre website, as well as claiming refunds through your tax return. More than this here.

Thriveabetes 2018 Going for your Dreams with Diabetes Panel

It has been a number of weeks since I published a post but now I’m back on task until mid December. The time is passing so quickly that it’s hard to believe once we all get over Christmas Thriveabetes will only be around the corner. Advance registration is required to attend Thriveabetes and you can register here.

I’m doing a series of posts that will feature some elements of the conference the team has put together. This is the second, the first highlighting what is in store for an adult living with type 1 diabetes which you can read here.

This post features one particular element of our Programme for children aged five to teens and I’m really excited about it. The “Going for your Dreams with Diabetes” panel comprised of successful adults with type 1 diabetes. The panel includes;

Naomi Clarke Owner and Creator of The Style Fairy

Naomi was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 15. She is married and has one, happy and healthy daughter. She is a qualified fashion stylist and is the owner and creator of the award winning blog, The Style Fairy. Having spent 2 years working in the fashion industry in Sydney and Singapore, Naomi moved back to Dublin to set up her own business in 2013 and so began The Style Fairy.

As well as a Business degree from Trinity College, Dublin, Naomi has a diploma in Fashion Buying & Merchandising coupled with a Diploma in Professional Styling for TV & Film. She writes about affordable, attainable, real life fashion and beauty as well as showcasing her personal style in her ‘Outfit Diaries’ segment, which is one of the most popular elements of her blog.

You can Follow Naomi on: Web: thestylefairy.ie Twitter: @TheStyleFairy1 Facebook: @thestylefairy Snapchat username: thestylefairy

Kate Gajewska, Diabetes Educator, Psychologist

Before she moved to Ireland, Kate had worked for many years as a diabetes educator, psychoeducator and insulin pumps certified trainer in one of the biggest pediatric diabetes Centres in Warsaw, Poland. Her project ‘Edu-Diabetes’ aimed to educate people in all age groups on how to live well with diabetes.

Kate has been living with type 1 diabetes for over 30 years. She is a also a psychologist and currently a Doctorate candidate at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. She is conducting a study looking at the access to insulin pump therapy in Ireland.

She is a member of Diabetes Ireland, the Adult Type 1 Diabetes Support Group in Dublin, and a member of the International Society of Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes. She engages in a lot of initiatives aiming to improve the quality of life of people with type 1 diabetes, she is also a proud Thriveabetes supporter.

In her free time she likes to run, sail, dive and travel and spend time with her 1 year old daughter, her husband and two pets.

Follow Kate on Twitter @gajewska_kate

Kevin Nolan Dublin Senior County Gaelic footballer, Teacher

Kevin Nolan is a former Gaelic footballer for Dublin Senior team and continues to play for Kilmacud Crokes. He played on the team when they won the 2011 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship for the first time in sixteen years. Kevin was named the man of the match in that game.

Four days after experiencing the euphoria of Dublin winning the 2011 All Ireland Final, he was diagnosed Coeliac disease. Three months after that, in December, he was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. After weeks of sitting out training he did finally get back out with the team and played to another victory in 2013. He no longer plays at Senior level and is a teacher based in Lucan.

You can read more about Kevin's journey with diabetes;

• Diabetes Ireland Winning Against the Odds
• The Irish Times Living with diabetes: ‘you can do anything you want’
• The Irish Independent Dubs star Kevin Nolan won't let diabetes derail his dream
• The 42 Kevin Nolan: 'I can show it's possible to have an active lifestyle with diabetes'

Follow Kevin on Twitter @KevinNolan7

James O’Reilly Trainee Solicitor, Cyclist

James was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in October 2006. He is from Kilkenny but currently living in Cork. He started cycling In the summer of 2011, while on holiday in the U.S. In 2013, he started taking part in some local charity cycles.

However based on medical advice he was only doing rides of up to two hours in duration. It was only out of curiosity that he did a google search for “professional athletes with type 1 diabetes” that he realized he could go beyond. He started following the NovoNordisk Team Type 1 professional cycling team and broke through that barrier.

In 2015, James was featured in an Irish Times article because he took part in the 2015 mHealth Grand Tour which involved a 1,500km cycle with 20,000 metres of climbing over 10 days with 26 riders, all with type 1 diabetes. And in 2016, he took part in Team Novo Nordisk’s Development Camp. James wrote a blog post for Thriveabetes just before he went off on this trip. You can read it here.

Follow James on: Facebook James O'Reilly Instagram james.f.oreilly Twitter @semajoreilly

I think you will agree that these four individuals will inspire and motivate everybody who attends Thriveabetes 2018.

Thriveabetes 2018 takes place on Saturday 24th February in Dublin. Thriveabetes; The Thrive with Type 1 Diabetes Conference is a one-day conference for all people living with type 1 diabetes. This Type 1 Diabetes conference focuses on the psychological impact of living with a chronic, lifelong condition. We aim to provide “Inspiration, Motivation and Information” to all people living with type 1 diabetes (adults, parents & children). Advance registration is required and you can find out more about our amazing event here.

Diabetes Support in Ireland

When you live with type 1 diabetes there is SO, SO MUCH information to learn, especially in the early days. So much, that I don’t think it is possible for any health care professional to cover absolutely everything – how could they? Then, as they years go by, we are considered the experts, and so information relevant to us falls through the cracks. One of the major benefits of diabetes support groups is that it can fill in a lot of those information gaps; such as where to register to get your many, many health checks, such as feet and eyes or if your clinic has structured education programmes. A support group also helps you to stay updated as the health information changes, which it does all the time. And it also lets you know that you are not the only one living with diabetes.

In my opinion, diabetes peer support is as important in your diabetes management as your health care providers. A support group provides opportunities to share experiences and to learn from one another. They encourage strength and resilience. Very often it’s the piece of diabetes management that you never knew you needed.

ConnecT1D in Seattle say that “people with T1D who connect with others with T1D tend to make shifts in their lifestyles that add up to better T1D management, better health and greater satisfaction in life.”

Diabetes Forecast, the American Diabetes Association’s monthly magazine says that “Much of the research on peer support has involved people with diabetes, and the findings are significant. According to a recent report by the National Peer Support Collaborative Learning Network, of 20 studies on peer support and diabetes published between 2000 and 2012, all but one found social support to be beneficial.”

It doesn’t matter if that support comes from the virtual world of social media or from face to face contact. Although, I feel that you can’t beat face to face meetups.

I believe that a diabetes support group only needs two people to meet over a cuppa to get started. That might be a simplistic view of it but that’s what it is. I suppose it helps if those two people get on well too.

If you are interested in becoming part of a Diabetes Support Group we have a list that we try to keep updated.

Diabetes Support Groups in Ireland

Another way to get connected to your type 1 diabetes community is to come to Thriveabetes 2018 in Dublin on Saturday 24th February, where you will meet, at least, 100 adults with type 1 diabetes and at least, another 100 parents of children with type 1 diabetes. Now, that's a lot of support.