When six year old Alexia was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) on 18 April it changed her life and that of her family forever.
Alexia’s mother Theressa Banfield said she took her daughter to the doctor and they were told to go straight to the hospital.
“Lexi spent six days in hospital and she is now insulin dependent for life,” Theressa said.
There was “no rhyme or reason as to why she got” the incurable disease, “but she did”, she said.
“On a daily basis we calculate carbohydrates, monitor blood sugar levels and make decisions about insulin dosing as her body no longer produces it for her,” she said.
“We were shown so much support from the hospital staff, doctors, nurses, specialists and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) that now we want to give back.”
Over the past few weeks the Noosa family have collected donations from generous local businesses and individuals and they are now running a raffle to raise money for JDRF.”I feel like it’s my job to raise awareness about diabetes and give back to the JDRF. Research is the key to destroy T1D and this is why all of the money raised will be donated to JDRF as they are the leading supporter of Type 1 Diabetes research in the world.”
There is $1300 worth of prizes up for grabs and tickets are available at Bupa Dental Noosa, Priceline Pharmacy Tewantin, Master Meats Noosa Civic, Fox and Hound, Cooroy and Bridgestone Service Centre and Gold army disposals in Gympie.
There are 120,000 people in Australia living with Type 1 Diabetes which makes up 10 per cent of cases of diabetes, 90 per cent of people have no family history of the condition and the majority of people are diagnosed by the age of 19.
People who have diabetes are unable to maintain healthy levels of glucose in their blood because they are not producing enough of the hormone insulin which converts glucose into energy. Left untreated the disease can be life threatening and can cause complications including heart attack, stroke, nerve damage leading to limb amputations and blindness.
National Diabetes Week runs from 14 – 20 July.
