Tom Bensley Needs Your Help

James, Kelly, Grace, Tom and Ellie Bensley are well-known and respected South Otago locals, who love their community and love helping others.

At the moment, it’s the Bensley Family who need help. Eight months ago Tom was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes involves finger pricking day and night, carb counting of food and insulin injections. Uncontrolled type 1 diabetes can lead to life threatening complications.

Tom’s doctor has advised he is able to start using an insulin pump. This means no more insulin injections for Tom and he will be able to do what other kids take for granted like sleepovers. This is good for Kelly and James too as it will eliminate the mental stress of calculating insulin, checking him throughout the night and constant worry. Pharmac currently funds insulin pumps but not the associated equipment needed to operate the pump, most importantly the continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) that need replacing every 7 days.

James has recently graduated from Police College and is a new graduate Police officer. Kelly is on maternity leave from her teaching position at South Otago High School. The Bensleys have been on a single income for a long time now and are unsure how to pay the ongoing costs of Tom’s treatment for the foreseeable future. We are hoping to raise funds to cover all the ongoing costs of Tom using the insulin pump for two to three years (until hopefully Pharmac starts funding all associated costs).