Thrive-abetes; has the potential to nourish empowerment!

Why I Need Thrive-abetes to Happen.

by Rebecca Flanagan.

Rebecca on the right, her eldest  daughter now aged 14 on the left.

It was a Friday in February, my husband and I were at a book launch in Dublin, leaving our 2 daughters at my sister-in-law’s in Co. Clare, where we live. When we returned the next day, my sister in law mentioned the symptoms that she knew were associated with Type 1 diabetes. The symptoms that my 7 year old first born was showing – extreme thirst, frequent urination, lethargy. It hit my like a ton of bricks. My father has type 1 for almost 40 years but I never knew the onset symptoms. I was so, so sad and had so much guilt. My poor baby had been telling me she didn't feel good for some time but I couldn't see anything wrong with her. This guilt is still present at times, and that was 7 years ago.

We now have 3 daughters, our eldest is an amazing teenager living with type 1 diabetes. It can be hard at times – knowing that she will live with this condition her entire life. It can be frightening if you allow yourself to think of the complications that can occur. It can be heartbreaking watching all the finger prick tests and injections she has to do, all the constant monitoring, and of course the wishing, as her mother, that I could take it all away and make it better – but I can’t!

What I can do, is try to keep positive for her sake. I need to keep educating myself in order to give her the best there is in managing her disease. I need to encourage her as much as possible so that she is empowered and able to move on from being a child with diabetes and become an adult with diabetes. This also means I need to be able to give her the space to do this – probably the most difficult part for me!

A conference like "Thrive-abetes" has the potential for this empowerment to be nourished. I believe that meeting other parents, and even other adults, with type 1 diabetes is fundamental in understanding this disease and seeing how others cope with some aspects that we may find difficult, and maybe being able to help others with aspects we excel at that they may find challenging. A conference like this can be a huge motivational platform when there is very little other support out there.

The clinic appointments and meetings with nurses and doctors are always very clinical, and there is no psychological support available which specializes in the effects that a chronic illness can have on a child, adolescent or adult – none in our geographical area anyway. "Thrive-abetes" has the opportunity to fill some of this void and I sincerely hope that everyone can get behind us and help us get this off the ground. I know that it will hugely benefit myself and other parents of children with type 1 diabetes.

Thanks Rebecca for sharing your story with us.

If you would like to help make "Thrive-abetes" happen for people with Type 1 Diabetes, please make a €5 donation to our campaign or post the link below in your social media; https://www.icrowdfund.ie/campaigns/thrive-abetes-thrive-with-type-1-diabetes-conference/

Thriveabetes; A first of its kind event in Ireland

I met Christine Meehan in 2008 when a small number of us decided to start a type 1 support group in Co. Clare. We have been friends since day one. Christine has two grown up children and a dog and is currently on an internship with Focus Ireland. She is also completing BA degree in Community and Family Studies in NUIG. 

In 2012, she completed a 

200 foot abseil down the side of the 

Clarion Hotel in Limerick to raise money for Diabetes Ireland and has completed a number of

Clare 10Ks. 

If that wasn't enough "giving back to the community", she also volunteers with Childline, Clare Youth Service and Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Ireland.

I recently asked her to tell us why she wants to be a part of organising Thrive-abetes and what she wants to get out of it for herself.

Christine; “I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes 9 years ago when I was in my 30’s which left me feeling shell shocked. Before this I took my health for granted. There was so much that I had to take in and try to understand it was overwhelming.

While trying to find out as much as I could about Type 1 Diabetes I started to attend a support group which I found so helpful, getting out and meeting other people with the disease and sharing our experiences. Living with Type 1 Diabetes can be a daily struggle, juggling all the different elements that have an effect on my blood glucose levels can sometimes leave me feeling alone and frustrated.

I try to learn as much as I can about Type 1 Diabetes and how best to deal with it because I feel being armed with good information makes it easier to make informed decisions on controlling my blood glucose levels and good health. 

Last year. I attended a conference in the UK on Type 1 Diabetes which I found really beneficial. Meeting others with Type 1 Diabetes and their families and the talks that went on throughout the conference were all so relevant.

That is why when my friend, Gráinne, asked if I would be interested in getting involved in trying to run a similar conference in Ireland I was completely on board.  I believe that Thrive-abetes is an amazing opportunity to meet people with Type 1 Diabetes and gaining knowledge and life experiences along with listening to highly renowned and motivational speakers is so worthwhile for my own self-care. The Thrive-abetes conference will be the first of its kind in Ireland and will hopefully become a regular event."  

Thanks Christine.

Thrive-abetes: A Fantastic Opportunity!

I asked some of the people with Type 1 who have been helping out with organising Thrive-abetes to tell me why they got involved and what's in it for them.

The first person to get back to me was Davina Lyon. Davina Lyon, lives in Co. Kildare. She and John O’Reilly are the founders of the Diabetes T1 Ireland website and facebook page, which is aimed at providing information and support to people living with type 1 diabetes.

Davina has been a tremendous help in making Thrive-abetes happen. This is what she said when I asked her why she wants to be a part of it and what she wants to get out of Thrive-abetes for herself.

Davina;

"My diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes was an enormous shock. I was not a child, nor a young adult. I was in my 50's! I did not fit the profile at all.

My life with type 1 Diabetes is a constant daily challenge to maintain a blood glucose balance and there are so very many things that can interfere with this. Everyone knows about the big one; food. However, stress, heat, cold, illness, exercise, alcohol, a break in routine, and hormones all affect the blood glucose balance.

I have participated in a structured education course in the form of DAFNE and now I want to take my diabetes education to the next level by exploring new ideas for type 1 diabetes management. I want to learn more about different ways to manage my diabetes, such as the low carbohydrate or the low glycemic index methods.

This lifestyle can result in isolation, loneliness, depression, frustration, anger, and there can be a serious lack of support because people without type 1 simply CAN'T understand.

I feel that Thrive-abetes will give me this fantastic opportunity to connect with other people with type 1 diabetes, who live just like I do. For me, it's about talking to others and learning from from them about how they "control" their diabetes because we never ever know enough, there is always something to learn.

I will hear speakers talk about their own lifestyles and how they deal with their type 1 diabetes. I will also have the opportunity to speak with companies about the latest technology in blood glucose meters.

Thrive-abetes, the conference is a first of its kind for Ireland. I would hope its success would mean it won't be the last. Yes, its ambitious but for all of the reasons I've given above, I had to throw my hand in to help in what ever way I can to bring this dream to life.

Davina"


If you would like to help make Thrive-abetes happen for people with Type 1 Diabetes, please make a €5 donation to our campaign; https://www.icrowdfund.ie/campaigns/thrive-abetes-thrive-with-type-1-diabetes-conference/

We need lots of fivers.