Diabetes Youth Wellington

Diabetes Youth Wellington advocates, educates and supports children, teenager and their families living with Diabetes. The majority of our members live with Type 1 Diabetes which requires 24 hour supervision of food, exercise, blood sugars obtained by multiple fingerpicks per day and multiple injections of insulin in to the abdomen.

Those with and caring for people with Type 1 diabetes must make decisions for every food consumed, exercise taken and sugar level tested.

DYW supports families via our part-time parent support co-ordinator from diagnosis to late adolescence. We also run two camps per year (one for children aged 8-12 years, the other for teenagers aged 13-17 who are at school). These provide opportunities for peer group formation, as well as formal and informal education of how to manage diabetes independently and safely.

Many children and teenagers struggle with their diagnosis and being different from others around them.

DYW activities aim to create increased resilience, decreased isolation, resulting in greater self management in those suffering from this chronic lifelong condition.

Diabetes Youth Wellington is a voluntary organisation that supports, educates and advocates for families with children aged less than 18 years of age living with diabetes. Most of our members have Type 1 Diabetes which requires multiple daily finger prick glucose tests and insulin injections per day. As well as this, 24 hour supervision and monitoring of food intake, physical activity and sugar levels is required. DYW supports families at diagnosis, runs two camps per year and holds education sessions and social activities for its members to form peer support networks and feel they are not alone in their challenges of this chronic disease.