In this post, I wanted to write about my favourite Uncle Dan.
My Mum did an interview on ABC South East Queensland radio on Friday over the phone. I watched her and listened to her. She explained to everybody that was listening how important the Jelly Baby is to a person with Type 1 Diabetes. (Even my Pop was listening at his home and he was so shocked to hear his daughter talking on the radio!!!)
The lady that interviewed Mum said that I had become the “Face of Diabetes” in our city!!! This means that I can help people with Diabetes who are too shy, sad or sick by raising money for medicines and better equipment, and giving them hope by promising that I am going to try my hardest to help scientists by giving them money that I raise, and educating politicians about what we have to go through every single day.
Kevin Rudd is the Prime Minister of Australia.
I saw him on the news recently on holiday in China.
People with Diabetes can go on holidays to China, but they can’t leave their Diabetes at home.
It is with you for life.
When I go on holiday, my Diabetes supplies and emergency kit is bigger than my luggage. It’s more important too, a thousand times more important, in fact.
It takes up so much room and time no matter where you go or what you do.
I think that sometimes people forget that.
I would like to sit down with Kevin Rudd and tell him about kids with Type 1 Diabetes and what they go through.
(Oh, and even though I know this man will NEVER read this because he was a stranger, but I just wanted to say, that when you were talking to my Mum and me about Type 1 Diabetes, and you told my Mum that she needed to “toughen me up with a good few wallops and that would see me better in no time,” you made me so mad. Sad at the same time as well.)
(I thought my Mum was going to chase you she was so furious.)
We sat down on a bench together and we were angry for a few minutes, and then we laughed at how silly you were to think that hitting or punishing someone would make their Diabetes go away.
When I come to think of it, it’s the funniest concept I’ve ever heard!
Then there are the people like my Uncle Dan. He is the type of man who would help anyone with an illness, even though he isn’t well himself. He helps charities and uses his own free time. He lives in Sydney and goes to University there. He would talk to anyone who needed help. He has a heart that is so big! He is a member of JDRF, and he always emails us if he has heard any new exciting information about a cure. ( He is my Mum’s Info Tech Guru and brother. He makes my Mum laugh a lot, and sometimes when she has been looking after me all day when I have had a severe hypo, I don’t hear her laugh at all. If Mum talks to Uncle Dan though, her spirit comes alive again. He knows a LOT about computers!!! He would do anything to see me free from Type 1 Diabetes. ( I would do anything to see him free from his pain too.)
I know how much he really does love me now, because he sat down and actually made out a donation for me to go towards Jelly Baby Month. That was one of the most special things anyone has ever done for me. I will remember that when I am an old man; how my Uncle Dan helped out my charity, for me.
If every person with Type 1 Diabetes gave $1, we would already have over $140 000. Scientists and researchers could do so much with that!!! Donations don’t need to be big. Even $1 is one dollar closer to helping buy some important equipment.
I love you Uncle Dan. Last year, JDRF sent me a certificate that said that I was a Jelly Baby Hero.
This year, I am passing the title onto you.
Note from Kate:
If you are not in Australia, or you like to do your shopping online, JDRF have an online store that displays all of the merchandise that is available during Jelly Baby Month. There is nothing over $10 in value, however there are some items that would make terrific gifts or even stocking fillers for Christmas time. (Any purchase over $2 is tax deductible.) The funds from any purchase made goes directly to JDRF Australia, who offer the best Diabetes research and support for children like Lance, and the tens of thousands of fellow sufferers who live with Type 1 Diabetes in Australia.
Why did the insulin die in my pancreas? 