Enabling diabetes education in a fun, non-clinical setting.

Charity funding is giving specialist dietitians the opportunity to engage with young people living with Type 1 diabetes outside clinical environments - boosting participation, removing financial barriers, and helping them navigate key life events like the transition to secondary school.

The Children’s Diabetes Team, with support from the NUH Youth Service, held a session earlier this summer at Clip ‘n Climb, an indoor climbing centre in Nottingham. Thanks to charity funding, the event was free for children and their parents or carers to attend. For many of the young people, it was their first time meeting someone their own age with Type 1 diabetes and together, they explored how to manage their condition more independently at school, from what to keep in their bag to carbohydrate counting and navigating lunchtimes.  

While the children were learning and making new friends, parents and carers joined a dedicated Q&A session with the team - a chance to exchange advice, ask questions, and connect with others who understand the day-to-day realities of supporting a child with Type 1 diabetes.

Daisy Slater, Specialist Dietitian at NUH, explained why this annual event is so important and why she applied for charity funding:

"Year 6 is a key age because of the increasing independence they’re about to have - and it’s a great peer support opportunity. Living with Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong condition and requires a lot of effort to self-manage, impacting many aspects of day-to-day life.

“Charity funding means we can offer the event completely free of charge, which helps increase attendance and remove financial barriers for our families."

Events like this show how your donations help NUH teams engage with young people, provide the best possible care and support and families in meaningful, memorable ways that prepare them for life’s next big step.