connect - diabetes uk · - dr seuss meditating on the ... of children with type 1 diabetes ......

CONNECTYour Diabetes Scotland Newsletter

www.diabetes.org.uk/scotland

CRAIG BRUNTON Scottish Formula Ford Champion shares his story

SWIM 22 Amelie Rogers asks you to make a splash for Diabetes Scotland

CHINIKUM FAMILIES Hanzala Malik MSP takes part in Chinikum at Home

IssuE NO. 4 sprINg 2015

Your Diabetes Scotland NewsletterCONNECT

Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not. - Dr Seuss

Meditating on the wisdom of Dr Seuss I find myself hugely grateful that the diabetes community in Scotland is filled with people who care tremendously about supporting people living with the condition and working towards a future without diabetes. I’m even more thankful that you are working together as part of our team, Diabetes Scotland.

Volunteers and supporters are the foundation of Diabetes Scotland’s work and we could not survive without the skills, enthusiasm and commitment you bring. From offering peer support to people struggling to manage their diabetes to lobbying policy-makers for higher standards of care, organising fundraising events to running local groups, your fantastic support is at the heart of all we do.

I’m looking forward to meeting some of you at this year’s Volunteer Conference on 21 March in Renfrew. The conference is a date the whole office staff looks forward to as it gives us the chance to showcase how the work you do is making a difference to people living with diabetes. Also, we relish the opportunity to help you develop new skills which you can use in your role as a volunteer and hope that those of you who attend find it beneficial.

The aptly named Inspire Awards takes place on the evening of the conference. Without a doubt, this is my favourite event of the year as it shines a light on the

DIReCTOR’SWeLCOMe

amazing achievements of our volunteers. Awards are presented in a range of categories including for local groups, young people, fundraising and our equivalent of a Diabetes Scotland Fellowship, the John Ireland Award, which recognises exceptional service to the diabetes community over the years. This year we’re also delighted to celebrate some of our longest serving volunteers who have been tirelessly supporting our work for decades!

Our supporters are among the best in the country and we’re so proud that you’re part of our team. I hope that you continue to support us and get involved with our projects, campaigns and fundraising until the day when the work is finally done. On that day, the drinks are on me! (Anything from a fruit smoothie to a wee dram…) Until then, I hope you all know how valued you are. Thank you.

Jane-Claire JudsonNational Director

We’d love to know what you think of Connect. What stories are of most interest? Is there anything you think we should be writing about? Would you like to share your story? Please get in touch to share your thoughts. Email: [email protected]

Careline Scotland provides support and information to people with diabetes as well as friends, family and carers. We can provide information to help you learn more about the condition and how to manage it.Careline Scotland *0141 212 8710 email: [email protected].* Calls from landlines are typically charged between 2p and 10p per minute while calls from mobiles typically cost between 10p and 40p per minute. Calls from landlines and mobiles should be included in free call packages. Calls may be recorded for quality and training purposes.


Local GroupsDiabetes Scotland is growing. We want to be visible in every community across the country and are renewing our efforts to introduce new local groups with at least 14 planned for 2015. These will join our existing network of 26 established local groups which are supporting people with diabetes across Scotland.

Honor Shaw, Diabetes Scotland Volunteer Development Support Officer, said: “Our Local Groups across Scotland are places where people can come together to share information and experience of diabetes with others in a similar situation. Group members provide support for one another but they also organise fun social events, fundraisers, and arrange for expert guest speakers to attend meetings. Anyone who is interested in joining a local group or starting a new group in their area can get in touch for more information and advice.”

For more information about local groups contact Honor on email [email protected] or telephone 0141 245 6380.

Tesco Partnership

Following the successful partnership with Tesco which raised over £18 million for Diabetes UK, we are delighted that we will be continuing to work together along with the British Heart Foundation. Through this new three year partnership we’re hoping to raise £30 million to fund a series of initiatives to help people live a healthy lifestyle.

New local groups will be launching across Scotland

New Tesco, British Heart Foundation and Diabetes UK partnership launched

Long Service Awards

Congratulations to our volunteers who will be honoured with long service awards at this year’s Inspire Awards.

Between them they have amassed over 300 years of volunteering for Diabetes Scotland. Thanks you for all your support! Dr George Farmer, Gordon Martin, Bob McQueen, David McQueen, Kay McQueen Hughes, Jennifer Watson, Anne Nelson, Irene Goodrum, Lorna Wylie, Lynne Wilson, Margot Watson, Honor Shaw and Alma Devine.

New celebrity supporter Brian CoxKnown for his roles in blockbuster movies including X-Men 2, Rob Roy and The Bourne Supremacy, Hollywood star Brian Cox has now joined us as a Diabetes UK celebrity supporter. Brian has been a prominent campaigner seeking to provide a better understanding of the condition since being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 1998.

Brian said: “I am delighted to support Diabetes UK, a wonderful organisation that not only offers support to people like myself but also funds research into the condition.”


Glasgow mum backs new Diabetes Scotland Care in School Helpline

A mum from Glasgow is backing Diabetes Scotland’s new Care in School helpline to assist parents of children with Type 1 diabetes get the support they need to make the most of their time at school.

When Vicki Kitson’s eldest son was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he was six years old, she was overwhelmed by all she had to quickly learn to manage the condition. In time, caring for him at home became routine but handing over his care to teaching staff when he was at school was still daunting.

Vicki said: “In the beginning it was difficult to feel confident that Jacob’s teachers understood how to manage Type 1 diabetes, what signs to look for if he was having a hypo, and when he should be allowed to eat in class. There was

a lot of communication with the school, drawing up an individual care management plan and ensuring that staff were aware of Jacob’s needs. There was also an element of myth-busting as there are some misconceptions about diabetes, such as people thinking you can’t ever eat sugar, which had to be clarified.”

Now aged nine, Jacob is managing his diabetes well and enjoying school while mum Vicki is using her experience to help others. As a volunteer for Diabetes Scotland’s Care in School helpline, Vicki supports families with children living with Type 1 diabetes to get the help they need at school.

Vicki added: “While many schools offer fantastic support for children with Type 1 diabetes, some families can really struggle to get the assistance their child needs. Difficulties pupils have encountered include teachers refusing to help with administering insulin or not allowing them to have a snack to treat dangerously high or low blood glucose levels.

“Some children also face discrimination in relation to participating in school trips and extra-curricular activities, which means they will feel excluded from leading a full and active school life which really isn’t fair.”

The Care in School Helpline is staffed by volunteers like Vicki who have been specially selected, fully trained and have experience of diabetes. They may be parents of a child with diabetes or they may have Type 1 diabetes themselves and understand the day to day practicalities of living with the condition.

Are you getting your 15 Healthcare Essentials?

If you have diabetes you are entitled to 15 healthcare essentials provided routinely and for free from your healthcare team. These include eye checks, feet checks and access to a dietician.

You can download the full checklist from our website. If you aren’t getting all the care you need, take the checklist to your diabetes healthcare team and discuss it with them.

This issue we’re focusing on kidney checks. More than a quarter of people with diabetes in Scotland don’t receive an annual urine test to monitor their kidney function. In people with Type 1 diabetes, this number is as high as 39 per cent.

The urine test is important because having diabetes means you are at increased risk of kidney problems. In the very early stages there are usually no symptoms, so the test is really important to pick up any problems early, before they develop and you begin to feel unwell.

Remember to ask for your annual urine kidney test. It can help prevent complications like diabetes-related kidney failure. If you don’t receive one as part of your annual review, ask for it.

If you’re asked to take a urine sample to your appointment – make sure you do. It’s a really important way to monitor your kidney health and help you avoid complications in the future.

Vicki Kitson with her sons Jacob and Harry

Call the Care in School Helpline on 0345 123 2399* *Calls may be recorded for quality and training purposes


Fates, Fats and Facts: What Really Drives Food Choice

Summerhall at 8pm, Saturday 11 April 2015

Tickets £8/£6*/£4** www.sciencefestival.co.uk

0844 557 2686

Diabetes Scotland is proud to partner with the Edinburgh International Science Festival for another year to provide healthy educational opportunities through outreach programmes across Scotland.

We are also hosting an event during the Festival, on Saturday 11 April. The Fates, Fats and Facts: What Really Drives Food Choice event will feature speakers including Prof Gareth Leng and behavioural economist Prof Bradley Love in a lively, interactive discussion about the reasons behind what we choose to eat.

For It! programme back on the road – this time touring schools in Aberdeenshire.

Tying in with Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence in Health and Wellbeing, Live For It! is an interactive, fun way to engage with children through a series of workshops designed to increase understanding about Type 1 diabetes, reduce stigma in schools, and increase understanding about the link between a healthy lifestyle and prevention of Type 2 diabetes.

During the four-session programme, children are taken on a journey through the digestive system, learn how to test blood glucose and gain an understanding of how our bodies convert food into energy. Making healthy food choices and the importance of eating a balanced diet is a valuable lesson learned through enjoyable cooking sessions. At the end of the programme students can show off their knowledge in a series of challenges including Oscar, a life-size model patient with exposed organs and a flashing red nose modelled on the ‘Operation’ board game.

Sarah Ward, Deputy National Director of Diabetes Scotland, said: “Through our work with the Edinburgh International Science Festival we can deliver Live For It! workshops to primary school children, encouraging healthy living from a young age. With innovation, skill and, most of all, fun, this programme is teaching children the importance of a balanced diet and exercise to keep them feeling good. The positive impact of this learning will be felt for years to come and it is through the fantastic appeal of Edinburgh International Science Festival that this is possible.”

Free tickets on offer for Extravaganza!

On Sunday 12 April Edinburgh International Science Festival will open up their family venue, the City Art Centre, to employees and volunteers of their partners. For this Extravaganza, families can come along for free to experience a science playground packed full of workshops, shows and interactive events. At Extravaganza, get ready for a wide range of science experiences and learning opportunities—from immersive trips through the jungle to exploring a brain-themed circus, dissecting eyeballs, and making your own circuit board. Diabetes Scotland has tickets to give away for this event on a first-come-first-served basis. If you’d like tickets (max six per person) please email [email protected] and mark the email Extravaganza Tickets.

*To attend Extravaganza, adults must be accompanying children to the City Art Centre – any adults who attend unaccompanied will not be allowed to enter, due to child protection policies.

School children enjoying Live For It! cookery session

*concessions are available for pensioners, the unemployed and disabled persons (with a complimentary ticket available for their carers – please book this by phone or in person at the box office). **1/2 price student discount for #SciPals

Live For It!Did you know that up to 80 per cent of cases of Type 2 diabetes could be delayed or prevented through healthy changes in lifestyle? We think it’s better to start off on the right foot than have to change a lifetime of bad habits later on down the road. That’s why Diabetes Scotland is taking its popular Live


Diabetes Scotland works hard to ensure that people in all communities across the country are getting the support and care they require. From young people with Type 1 diabetes who are experiencing a transition in their diabetes journey to people from minority ethnic communities who are disproportionately affected by Type 2 diabetes at a younger age, we reach out to individuals, families and groups with relevant information and advice.

Chinikum at HomePeople of South Asian origin are up to six times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than white Europeans. What’s more, they are deemed at high risk from the age of 25 and are more likely to develop complications at a younger age. However, despite its prevalence, the condition is still stigmatised and misunderstood. So much so, that people in the communities are not seeking the support they need in order to manage their diabetes well.

Through family-centred sessions, Diabetes Scotland’s Chinikum at Home project aims to build sustainable support functions for people affected by diabetes in Glasgow’s South Asian Communities.

Hanzala Malik MSP was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes a number of years ago so he understands the challenges that

living with the condition presents. The Chinikum at Home team visited him at his house to demonstrate how to make a positive difference to managing Type 2 diabetes.

Mr Malik said: “When I first agreed to do the Chinikum at Home taster sessions with my wife, I thought my knowledge of Type 2 diabetes was quite comprehensive. While I recognise there’s always a need for further learning, I was very surprised by how much I learned. For example, what I learned about how diabetes can affect the kidneys was particularly helpful as I have suffered from kidney stones.”

By working with the family, it is not only the person living with the condition who benefits but also the carer, and other family members who may be at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Mr Malik added: “I think it’s important for health care programmes to connect with a person’s culture. Receiving advice which is specific to your lifestyle is very useful in helping you understand how you can incorporate changes to your diet, exercise or accessing health

ReaCHINgCOMMUNITIeS

services. Also, to have these sessions take place in your home is ideal. You’re comfortable and feel that you can speak freely.

“I’m very happy that my wife and I took part in Chinikum at Home. The sessions were eye-opening and alerted us to things that we’d never considered before such as the amount of sugar that restaurants may add to their recipes. It’s definitely got us thinking more about the choices we make and, following our discussion about the 15 healthcare essentials that everyone with diabetes is entitled to, I have booked an appointment with a dietician to further discuss diet options suitable for me.”

By September this year, 15 families will have taken part but the positive effects of the programme is felt beyond the core group of participants. Every family reports having shared the information and advice with extended members of their family and within the community, helping to reduce the stigma of diabetes and ensure more people are aware of good self-management and support available.

Mr and Mrs Malik take part in Chinikum at Home


“ConnECTInG WITH oTHERS WITH TypE 1

DoES SoMETHInG THE HEALTH SERvICE CAn’T.” –

young person

Making Connections

Following the success of JUST DUK 1T, our young supporters have been busy at work trying to change the system and foster better relationships between healthcare professionals and young people with Type 1 diabetes. Working together to identify barriers which prevent some young people from engaging with their diabetes clinics, the group helped develop a number of tools which have been delivered in four pilot areas: NHS Ayrshire & Arran, NHS Forth Valley, NHS Fife and NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde (Southern General and Victoria Hospitals only).

In order to give healthcare professionals a greater

understanding of the real needs and experience of young people with diabetes, workshops were delivered by the group. Following this, healthcare professionals are encouraged to direct young people attending clinic to a local Facebook group which is administered by the young people involved in the project. The Facebook group will be the first step to build a network of young people in the area and will lead to face-to-face group activities.

Youth engagement worker and a founding member of JUST DUK 1T, Dani Cochrane, said: “I know from my own experience how valuable these groups are. They give you a space to talk to others living with Type 1 about things that are important to you. The groups are set up and run by young people with Type 1 diabetes with support from Diabetes Scotland – and don’t worry, no healthcare professionals will be allowed in the Facebook groups! This is just for us.”

For more information about how to connect with the Facebook groups in the four pilot areas, contact Dani on email [email protected].

JUST DUK 1T: The Mighty Duks www.justduk1t.org.uk

Diabetes at your Finger Tips (DEFT) Contributing to the Scottish Government’s initiative, ‘Reshaping Care for Older People’ DEFT was set up to pilot a new way of getting diabetes information to older people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities in Glasgow. The programme was delivered through eight community groups in Glasgow and empowered 122 people over the age of 60 from South Asian, African, Caribbean and Chinese backgrounds to more confidently manage their Type 2 diabetes. Supporting and educating people through e-learning and other interactive tools, participants benefitted not only from leaning about diabetes but also new technology which they may have been intimidated by before.

Project coordinator Louise McCulloch said: “The DEFT project was successful in providing a positive, encouraging learning environment for older people to learn more about initiating positive healthy changes in their lives. It would be fantastic if we could secure funding to allow us to continue this work.”

DEFT was funded by the Glasgow Transformation Fund.

Learning with the DEFT programme


The more you understand about your diabetes, the more empowered you are to manage the condition well. We offer a number of educational opportunities throughout the year which are designed to support you to live a healthier, happier life.

Living With Diabetes DaysDo you have Type 2 diabetes? Would you like to learn more about the condition and how to manage it well? Whether you’re newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes or have been living with the condition for years, it can sometimes be overwhelming to get to grips with all the information out there. Particularly troubling can be advice from well-meaning but misinformed friends and family! Attending a Living With Diabetes Day is a great opportunity to learn to live well with Type 2 diabetes from the experts. The free day-long course includes:• How to maintain a healthy diet

and become more confident in managing your diabetes day-to-day.

• The chance to ask diabetes experts your questions and get practical up-to-date information.

• Meeting other people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.

Attendees at previous Living With Diabetes Days have commented that thanks to what they learned on the day they were now much more

confident about managing their diabetes. One even remarked that they had learned more in one day than they had in the 15 years since they were first diagnosed.

Upcoming events include Edinburgh on 16 March, Peebles on 28 April and Dumfries on 5 June. If you’d like to attend, you can sign up for a free place on www.diabetes.org.uk/lwdd or call 0345 123 2399. Spaces are limited so sign up as soon as you can!

Family EventsIf you have a child with Type 1 diabetes you may want to take advantage of attending one of our family events. Run by carefully selected volunteers and healthcare professionals who have experience of diabetes and childcare, the events are a great opportunity for families to learn more about managing diabetes together.

Families learn about the essential level of care they should be receiving, how to get the most from hospital appointments and become more confident about managing diabetes at home. What’s more, it’s fun! This is not a classroom but an enjoyable, interactive day with plenty of entertaining activities for the children to enjoy. There will be a family event in Inverness on 13 June with others

to be confirmed in Edinburgh and central Scotland later in the year. For more information please contact [email protected]

We need Diabetes Scotland Roadies!Our trusty Healthy Living Roadshow buses have been traveling the length and breadth of the UK to carry out Type 2 diabetes risk assessments and educate people about making healthier lifestyle choices. Like the Rolling Stones, we will never stop touring and this year we will once again be back on the road and coming to a town near you. Please help us spread the word so as many people as possible can visit the roadshow in Scotland. We are looking for volunteers to help us at each of the locations. If you’re interested in being a ‘roadie’, please contact [email protected] or call 0141 245 6380 for more information.

23-24 April – Dundee27-28 May – Glasgow10-11 June – Stornoway9-10 July – Aberdeen29-30 August – Edinburgh30 Sep-1 oct – Highlands (Fort William or Oban)

Come be a Diabetes Scotland roadie!

eDUCaTION


Diabetes Scotland is inviting people to sign up to take part in Swim 22 in 2015 to support people with diabetes and fund pioneering research into the condition.

Amelie’s mum, Abby Roger, said: “She doesn’t let her diabetes stop her from doing anything and we’re incredibly proud of her – especially when she encouraged us to take on the huge challenge of Swim 22 with her to raise money.”

Swim 22 takes place from now until Friday 22 May 2015 (but we won’t mind if you take a little longer!). People can take part as individuals or a team to swim 22 miles at their local pool - which is almost the length of Loch Ness but without the fear of what’s lurking below.

Those who are not strong swimmers but would still like to take part can opt to complete 22 lengths or 22 widths.

Log on to www.diabetes.org.uk/swim22 or call 0141 245 6380.

DWF’s European TourStaff at the Edinburgh branch of DWF LLp have taken positive steps towards helping people living with diabetes – several hundreds of thousands of steps, in fact!

The team raised more than £1700 during 2014 by each wearing a pedometer and counting the number of steps taken to take part in a collective virtual walk around Europe, enjoying various “stops” along the way to enjoy themed lunches and staff social gatherings. The walk ended with a German Market themed lunch in the Edinburgh office, including bratwurst, gluwein and lebkuchen.

As well as their fantastic fundraising efforts, staff also held regular dress-down days and the firm generously took a table at the annual Hummingbird Ball in Edinburgh.

Regional Fundraiser, Susie Williamson, said: “It has been an absolute pleasure to work alongside the generous and motivated staff at DWF, who are inspirational in their commitment to raising funds and awareness about diabetes. We are delighted that the charity partnership with the firm will continue for another year, with staff at the Edinburgh branch already proposing innovative ways of raising more for Diabetes Scotland – we can’t thank them enough for their efforts.”

Eight year old Amelie is calling on participants for 22-mile swimming challenge for diabetes

Amelie Roger from Kingston, Moray, took on Swim 22 with her parents in 2013 and raised an impressive £2023. now she is determined to encourage as many people as possible to sign up to the fundraising challenge this year.

Amelie was diagnosed with diabetes when she was two years old and relies on her insulin pump to administer insulin every day. Forming a team with her mum and dad, Abby and Graeme, the family swam 22 miles (around 1500 lengths) at their local swimming pools in Buckie and Keith to raise money for Diabetes Scotland’s work supporting people living with the condition.

Amelie said: “I love swimming so I wanted to take part in Swim 22 to raise money to help other boys and girls like me who have diabetes. I hope lots more people will take part next year and help to raise lots more money.”

Amelie and mum Abby took on Swim 22


have dwelled on had I been told certain things were off limits.

I found healthy eating and exercise a bit frustrating at first. I started to exercise, but didn’t change my eating habits. Then I realised I didn’t want to ruin what I was doing in the gym by eating badly. Food is something I really enjoy and, now I was exercising more, I knew it was important to eat right.

I started to see results. For example I had to start buying new clothes - all my clothes were no longer fitting. My work trousers were always a marker and I found myself having to buy size 10 - I had never been a size 10, ever. My blood sugars were also staying low and I almost forgot that I had diabetes. Once I knew it was working it motivated me to keep going.

I enjoyed my new lifestyle that much, I went back to college to learn more and find out how I could start a career in the fitness industry. I wanted to help people like me reach their

potential and see that having a health condition shouldn’t be a barrier to achieving your goals. I knew if I could do it, then so could everyone. Support is really important and if you surround yourself with people looking to achieve the same kind of goals, then it really motivates and helps you push yourself. There’s no better feeling than achieving something you never thought you could.

Doing physical exercise made me feel like I was in control again, and it was helping with the other elements of my life like regulating blood sugars. I was learning how to manage my condition in a way that made me happy both physically and mentally.

Working at a gym by this time, I wanted to offer members the chance to discover jogging. I had already discovered the benefits and wanted to share my passion for running with others. My work encouraged me do the jogscotland Jog Leader course.

That was in June and since then I haven’t looked back. I have got to know my group members better and been witness to their own personal achievements. We signed up for jogscotland’s One Big Weekend 5k last summer and completed that with the biggest amount of pride.”

Thanks to jogscotland for sharing Gemma’s story. jogscotland is Scotland’s national recreational running network and has been urging people to don their trainers and adopt a healthier and more active lifestyle since 2002. More info www.jogscotland.org.uk

For Gemma Hopewell, discovering she had Type 1 diabetes led to a change in lifestyle which resulted in a new career.

“Finding out at 21 that I had Type 1 diabetes was the last thing I expected, as I wasn’t aware of anyone in my family who had it. I went to the doctors with a dry throat and was always thirsty, never thinking that was one of the most common symptoms. I felt fine physically, not at all how I expected to feel if I had this condition they called ‘diabetes’.

It took a while for the news to sink in, but I just took it day by day and here I am nine years later: a jogscotland Jog Leader, personal trainer and gym instructor.

I was lucky as the advice I received from the start was all about leading a healthy lifestyle, which included diet and exercise - two things I never really thought about that much before. What surprised me was that I wasn’t ever told ‘you can’t have this food,’ which I would

Gemma and jogscotland group at One Big Weekend 5k

FINDINg THe BaLaNCe


got to manage something pretty serious in your life and have to keep on top of it but once you get used to it, things are much easier.

I had always been interested in cars so that was a big concern for me when I was diagnosed with Type 1 – can I get a driving licence? Not just a regular road license but also a Motor Sports Association competition license.

It’s a little bit more stringent than the DVLA. The DVLA keep on top of things, no question, but I had to fight more to get the MSA license and repeatedly prove that I had good control of my diabetes. As well as the medical which everyone has to do every year, I had to travel to London to see a specialist who had a more in-depth look at my medical

notes, took blood glucose readings from me at various times of the day and compared them to previous readings. As long as I maintain good control and don’t have any assisted hypos, I’m fine. When you’re racing single seater cars at high speeds around a track, it’s important to know that not only you, but all the other drivers around you, can handle it and stay safe so I understand why they are so strict.

If I were to give advice to young people with diabetes who want to learn to drive I’d say there is no reason why you can’t do it. It takes a little bit of extra precaution, but if you use that same precaution in your driving, you’ll be absolutely fine – the two go hand-in-hand. If you’re thinking that little bit extra about yourself, your mental attitude, and your blood sugar level; carry that forward into your driving. Make sure it’s just an extra thing on the checklist to do.

I’ve supported Diabetes Scotland for a while now and am keen to help raise awareness of the charity and the work it does to support people living with diabetes. I’ve always carried the branding on the side of my race car and helmet as a thumbs-up to the work that’s going on and show that I’m happy to be part of the team.”

Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 14, Craig Brunton refused to let the condition stand in his way of becoming a professional racing driver. now with a Scottish Formula Ford Championship under his belt and currently working as a driving coach and instructor for Knockhill Supercar Experiences, Craig shares his experience.

“Looking back now to when I was 14 and told I had Type 1 diabetes, I realise that was pretty much the moment I grew up.

During those early days after my diagnosis I got a hard time for being a bit grumpy. But that was it; you turn into an old man at 14! For young people diagnosed with Type 1, you know that you’ve

Craig meets young Diabetes Scotland supporters

Craig’s crash helmet

DVLA & Diabetes (for motorists and motorcyclists) For information on driving with diabetes visit www.diabetes.org.uk and search ‘driving’

ON TRaCK WITH T1


Diabetes Scotland, The Venlaw, 349 Bath Street, glasgow, g2 4aaCaLL 0141 245 6380 eMaIL [email protected] gO TO www.diabetes.org.uk/scotland

A charity registered in England and Wales (215199) and in Scotland (SC039136).

We have a number of fun activities coming up in the next few months. If you’d like more information, to take part or discuss organising your own event please contact [email protected] or telephone 0141 245 6380.

Big CollectionThis year’s Big Collection at Tesco stores across the UK will take place on the weekend of 13-14 June. Once again we’re hoping we can count on you to get out and grab a bucket! We’re looking for volunteers to help collect donations from Tesco customers and help us beat the £52,800 raised in Scotland last year. If you can spare a few hours on either or both of those days, please get in touch.

Walks for DiabetesWe are looking for some amazing people to organise a Walk for Diabetes in their local area. The money raised from Walk for Diabetes will help us do extraordinary things for people affected by diabetes across Scotland. Last year hundreds of people took part in a Walk for Diabetes in Scotland, we hope even more will sign up in 2015. Walking is great exercise and if we have nice sunny weather, it will be a great day out for all the family. (If we get a rainy Scottish day, we’ll really deserve those sponsorship donations!)

Running EventsHow many of you made a New Year resolution to get fitter? As the weather gets warmer do you need an extra motivation to keep a spring in your step? Signing up for a running challenge could be just the incentive you need to spur yourself on. There are a number of events taking place in Scotland and Diabetes UK has charity places available in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival in May and the Baxters Loch Ness Marathon in September. You can also choose to raise money for the charity using your place in any other run, such as The Great Women’s 10k, Baker Hughes 10k, Colour Me Rad in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Glasgow, and The Great Scottish Run. As well as keeping you on the right fitness track, you will be helping us raise money to support people with diabetes. Win-Win!

connect - diabetes uk · - dr seuss meditating on the ... of children with type 1 diabetes ......

Documents