WHY RIDE?


The Telethon Juvenile Diabetes Family Centre is a groundbreaking new facility that will help children and their families overcome the challenges of type 1 diabetes.


Being a parent is not easy, especially when your child has type 1 diabetes.  Children with type 1 diabetes must inject insulin, monitor their blood sugar levels, and regulate their diet and activity levels every day to stay healthy.  Type 1 diabetes is stressful and relentless, and children with diabetes need good family support to manage their condition and to live happy, healthy lives.  But families need help too - and that’s where we come in.  The Telethon Juvenile Diabetes Family Centre is the first of its kind in Australia; a facility dedicated to helping support the families of children with type 1 diabetes. 

The Family Centre brings together the expertise of counsellors, psychologists, endocrinologists, dietitians and diabetes educators in a place where families affected by diabetes can connect with others, share their experiences and wisdom, and feel encouraged and understood. 

The Family Centre will provide quality care, information and support – we aim to help families meet the challenge of type 1 diabetes with confidence. 


Your ride will help make the Family Centre happen.


The Family Centre

 

 

 

What is type 1 diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong, serious medical condition that occurs when the immune system destroys the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, the hormone that regulates the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood. People with type 1 diabetes are dependent on insulin delivered by a pump or multiple daily injections for life, and must adhere to a strict daily regimen of blood glucose testing, dietary adjustments and physical activity in order to stay healthy. Dangerously high or low blood glucose levels are both life threatening. Low blood glucose can cause seizure, coma and death, and high blood glucose damages tissues in the body and can cause kidney failure, blindness and nerve damage.

 

Having a child diagnosed with type 1 diabetes changes a family’s life forever. The daily routine of insulin injections, blood glucose testing, and adjustments to diet and activity, combined with the constant threat of the devastating risks associated with blood glucose levels that are too high or low can leave families exhausted, strained and vulnerable to breakdown.

 

What does the Telethon Juvenile Diabetes Family Centre do?

Families with children who have type 1 diabetes need support. The Family Centre helps families feel connected, informed and equipped to handle the challenges of type 1 diabetes. We offer in-depth diabetes education and clinical care in a community setting, rather than a hospital. We also provide critical opportunities to create networks and to enjoy the support and friendship of peers who understand the complexities of life with type 1. Our goal is to ensure that families with children with type 1 do not feel alone; we’re in this together.

For more information, visit www.telethonjdfc.org.au or like us on Facebook.

 

 

Where does the money go?

Funds raised for the Telethon Juvenile Diabetes Family Centre go towards establishing the facility and its programs:

  • Purchasing equipment that will enable the Family Centre to serve as an education facility
  • Installing kitchen facilities and creating programs to train children and families in the essential aspects of nutrition with type 1 diabetes
  • Quality education resources
  • The provision of counselling and support services for families affected by type 1 diabetes
  • Informative and innovative workshops, speakers and seminars
  • Play areas for children
  • Retaining outstanding staff