DRWF Events: Cartoon drawing at Camp in the Cloud event

Creating diabetes superheroes at the first virtual event held recently included activities for young people living with the condition to create their own type 1 diabetes superheroes.

Following the success of the first of two virtual events for young people living with type 1 diabetes this year, one talented young artist has seen her creation immortalised in print.

Sarah Tutton, DRWF Chief Executive, said: “The Camp in the Cloud event held earlier this year was really well received with 40 families - almost 150 people – attending the day. It was amazing! The concept of camp as a virtual experience allows us to reach those children with serious illnesses who may not be able to attend our physical venues due to a variety of reasons such as medical or mobility limitations.

In the future, we hope to support families of children with type 1 diabetes through a mix of virtual and residential events allowing children to experience the mischief and magic of camp, regardless of the constraints of their illness.”

It is currently estimated there are around 29,000 children in the UK living with type 1 diabetes.

For these young people, quality of life can be adversely affected by isolation and their inability to participate in many of the everyday activities enjoyed by their friends and peers.

This often results in a growing lack of self-esteem and confidence which can become a barrier to future growth and development.

Over The Wall’s residential programmes (rated outstanding by Ofsted), are designed to bring about transformational change, helping young people with long-term conditions to tackle these issues.

DRWF and Over The Wall worked together to host the first residential camp in 2019 specifically for families with children with type 1 diabetes in the hope that young campers return home with a new sense of their abilities and ambitions and feeling far less isolated.

Thanks to the generosity of DRWF supporters we gave 20 children living with type 1 diabetes and their families the experience of a residential camp at no cost to them.

The camp was a welcome addition to DRWF’s existing award-winning diabetes wellness event programme for which the charity received the Judges’ Special Award and Highly Commended in the Empowering People with Diabetes category, at the annual Quality in Care Diabetes Awards in 2017.

Sarah Tutton, DRWF Chief Executive, said: “There are still places available for our October Camp in the Cloud event, so please don’t miss the opportunity to experience a wonderful event.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Over The Wall again in 2022 and look forward to providing some much-need fun, and respite, in what has been a really challenging period for us all.”

Paula said: “Xanthe plays football three times a week and is pretty good. Recently she started to get tired on the pitch, lack motivation and didn’t seem interested so much to the point that the coach noticed and asked if she has asthma. I rang doctor (due to Covid-19 restrictions we couldn’t go in) and told them Xanthe’s symptoms over the phone. I asked if it was asthma specifically, but they said it didn’t sound like it. It was half-term and as the week went on, I noticed Xanthe was going to the toilet more and drinking lots. I knew something wasn't right and rang the doctors again and asked if they could do a urine sample as I thought she has a urine infection.

“Xanthe went in and after they tested the sample, they told me I needed to get her to our local accident and emergency depratment immediately, as they suspected Xanthe had type 1 .diabetes. I had no idea what this meant. At the time her blood-glucose level was 33 mmol/mol and she had ketones of 6. Life very quickly changed for all of us from this moment on. Everyone we have met has been amazing, and the diabetes community has been like getting a new family! Every group and person I have spoken to feel the same as we feel. You want something to blame but nothing is to blame.

“Then we were told about the Camp in the Cloud, and we decided as a family to do it. We dedicated our weekend to it and loved every minute! Xanthe was a bit nervous to begin with, but she started speaking more towards the end.”

Danny McLaughlin, at Revolve Comics, said: “Everyone at Revolve Comics loves to see the creativity that comics can bring to young people along with learning. Well done to Xanthe on creating some brilliant artwork and wonderful characters that hopefully will inspire more young people living with diabetes to get creating their stories too."