LOCAL boys, Dougal McGregor and Charlie Jenner have a lot in common. Both were born in January 2011, almost sharing a birthday, both are living with type 1 diabetes and both have just returned from Diabetes Victoria’s fun-filled diabetes camp at the Yarra Valley where they spent four days with 47 peers in Warburton East.
The camp allowed the children to be part of a group where living with type 1 diabetes was ‘nothing special,’ and enjoy a range of activities including flying fox rides, rock climbing, lawn bowls, archery, mini golf, mini Olympics, a reptile visit, bush dance as well as a night trail and camp fire.
Shepparton local, Dougal McGregor was diagnosed at age four, while Numurkah boy, Charlie Jenner was only two years old.
Charlie’s mum, Julie Jenner said, “It was very scary for our whole family and life stopped for a few months until we slowly gained more confidence with Charlie’s diabetes.”
Dougal’s mum, Joanne McGregor said, “When Dougal was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes it changed everything. Life became way less spontaneous and there was always a focus on his levels/carbohydrate intake.
“Whilst we have learnt a lot and entirely changed our management, using an insulin pump and CGM, there is still a lot of unpredictability associated with type 1 diabetes that we always need to be prepared and available for.”
