Richmond and
Twickenham
Voluntary Group
The Richmond and Twickenham Diabetes UK Voluntary Group has raised £1,000 to enable some children with diabetes to go on support holidays.
Diabetes UK children's support holidays include weekends breaks and week-long holidays for children with diabetes. They are a chance for children to have an adventurous break away from home where they will meet other children of a similar age with diabetes, take part in new and exciting activities, develop new skills, self confidence and independence, while learning more about their diabetes and how to manage it from volunteer doctors, nurses and dieticians.
Chief Executive of Diabetes UK, Barbara Young attended one of the group's meetings on Tuesday 22 February at St Mary's Church Hall in Church Street in Twickenham, where she gave a talk about children with diabetes, the current Diabetes UK Children's Charter campaign and received the donation.
She was presented with the cheque by the Chairman of the Richmond and Twickenham Diabetes UK Voluntary Group, Alastair Mackinlay, who said "In addition to collecting £1,000 for the children's support holidays we also raised £2,000 for research into the causes and treatment of diabetes, which is a complex condition that affects people of all ages. We raised money from a variety of fundraising activities in the local area, such as fairs, raffles and sponsored walks. As well as fundraising we meet several times a year to hear from diabetes professionals and others involved in the care and treatment of diabetes." Last year the group also launched a Parents Group for parents of children with Type 1 diabetes.
Chief Executive of Diabetes UK, Barbara Young, said "I was delighted to collect a donation from the Richmond and Twickenham Voluntary Group towards Diabetes UK children's support holidays. Some children may feel different or isolated because of their diabetes, and they can get picked on at school or excluded from some activities.
"The Diabetes UK Children's Charter is campaigning for an end to such discrimination of children with diabetes. For some children these support holidays are the first time they realise they are not the only child with diabetes. They learn more about how to manage and live with their condition and often return home with a new sense of confidence and independence. This £1,000 will pay for at least two children to attend a holiday when their family cannot afford it and without this donation the children may not have been able to go".
There are just over 5,000 people diagnosed with diabetes in the Richmond and Twickenham PCT region, and there could be almost 4,000 people in the area who may have Type 2 diabetes but don't even know it.
For more information about Diabetes UK children's support holidays please visit www.diabetes.org.uk/How_we_help/Care-events