Young diabetics brought together at activity day

Nov 17 2009 by Les Stewart, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

Young diabetics brought together at activity day

FORTY young diabetics from Tayside took part in a fun-filled activity day on Saturday to build up friendships and socialise and work together with people of similar ages – and with the same condition.

The annual event coincides with World Diabetes Day on November 14 and was aimed at children aged between 12 and 16.

The event was organised by nurses in the Tayside Children’s Diabetes Team.

It consists of two consultant paediatricians, Dr Steve Greene and Dr Vicky Alexander, paediatric diabetes specialist nurses Sue Bluff, Christine Sturrock, Leslie Mckenzie and Val Ramsay, and psychologist Vicki Robinson.

The event was held at the BlueSky Experience in Methven and was funded by generous donations to the Paediatric Diabetes Education Fund

Diabetes specialist nurse Sue Bluff said: “In the morning, young people took part in the ‘Ultimate Puzzle Zone,’ which consisted of 10 team challenges of 15 minutes each that tested the children’s communication, strategic thinking and visualisation.

“In the afternoon there were Wii Olympics full of fun challenges to push the young people to earn as many points as possible to beat their opponents.

“That activity allowed them to work in teams and get to know other young people who have Type 1 diabetes.

“World Diabetes Day aims to make people aware of the seriousness of the condition and the impact it has across the world.

“The people were asked to celebrate that by wearing something blue.

“Blue represents World Diabetes Day because it is the official colour of the logo and the Unite for Diabetes campaign which was instrumental in the United Nations resolution recognising diabetes as a major threat to global health.”