For 11-year-old Jackson and his family, managing Type 1 Diabetes has been a journey of learning, adjustment and teamwork.
At 18-months-old, Jackson “was going through his nappies and drinking like crazy,” said his mum, Cass.
After years of supporting her husband Stephen, a T1 diabetic himself, Cass recognised the signs of a high glucose level. After confirming the reading with Stephen’s glucometer, she rushed Jackson to the hospital. He was later diagnosed with the life-long autoimmune condition.
Affecting over 120,000 Australians, T1 diabetes is a condition that occurs when the body loses its ability to produce a hormone called insulin. If symptoms go unchecked, it can cause dehydration, vomiting, loss of consciousness, and in extreme circumstances – it can be fatal.
Equipped with a lifetime of experience, Stephen and Cass were ready for anything. From carb counting and meal planning to insulin injections and glucose monitoring, the daily tasks became part of a new normal.
For Jackson’s siblings Ashton (10) and Mason (7), life was no different.
“The boys are really accepting, they know what they need to know, and he’s [Jackson] just their annoying big brother,” says Cass.
Like many T1 diabetics however, battling misconceptions about the condition is a recurring challenge.
“There are always misunderstandings about what he can and can’t eat, I have had lots of conversations with parents worried about him,” says Cass.
“It’s hard when people don’t understand why you have to do what you do sometimes,” says Jackson.
Following in his father’s footsteps, Jackson attends The RCH Diabetes Clinic in Hamilton, a service providing regional families with care closer to home.
Now fitted with a new insulin pump, a device to help steady his condition, Jackson is gaining more independence.
A footy fan, school captain and T1 awareness advocate, this bright young boy won’t let anything get in his way.
“He just takes it on; he’s my little superhero. I think he’s the strongest person I know,” says Cass.
“I want him to live a complication-free life.”
In support of families like Jackson’s, and the thousands of Australians diagnosed with T1 or T2 diabetes, we recognise World Diabetes Week. It’s an opportunity to spread awareness and commend the resilience of those living with these conditions.
Read more about our Diabetes service.
