The Paediatrics Diabetes Team, along with hospital youth workers, recently held their annual residential trip for young people with type 1 diabetes, providing an opportunity to make new friends and build confidence in managing their condition.
Funded by Rockinghorse charity, the weekend brought together nearly 30 young people under the care of Worthing and St Richard’s hospitals diabetes team, who despite coming from diverse backgrounds, all share a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes causes the level of glucose (sugar) in your blood to become too high. It happens when the body cannot produce a hormone called insulin, which controls blood glucose and daily insulin is needed to keep the blood glucose levels under control.
Paul Peacock is a hospital-based youth worker who helped organise this event. He said: “Growing up is challenging, and managing diabetes adds another layer of difficulty for young people. This residential trip offers numerous benefits, including peer support, new experiences, and skill-building activities.
“It helps young people form lasting friendships and build trust with the paediatrics diabetes team, making clinic visits less daunting.”
Throughout the weekend, the attendees engaged in various activities at Christian Youth Enterprise (CYE) in Chidham, including kayaking, tunnelling, and team-building exercises, and topped off the experience by staying the night on a large houseboat.
For many of these young people, aged 8 to 13, this event offers a rare chance to meet peers who understand their condition. The trip is designed to combat feelings of isolation, foster connections, and create a supportive environment where participants can share their experiences and learn from one another.
Liz Leach’s eight-year-old son, Reuben, attended this year’s trip. She said: “I’m so grateful to everyone for giving up their weekend to look after so many children and their unpredictable sugars!
“My son loved it all and having a chance to spend time with kids who ‘get’ his life was something he was excited about. Thank you for giving him such an amazing opportunity. You guys are total heroes who continually go above and beyond for patients! We are so grateful, and we enjoyed a whole night’s sleep!”
As well as connecting with peers, the young people engaged with their medical team, from consultant paediatricians and dietitians to paediatric diabetes specialist nurses and psychologists.
Vanessa Irvine, Consultant Paediatrician said: “It is lovely spending time and getting to know the young people we see so regularly in clinic in a completely different environment. It is humbling seeing children who are so young managing their diabetes so effectively, and truly experiencing a glimpse of what their parents are managing day-in, day-out.”
Over the weekend, trust between the patients and the professionals can be built over open conversations which help make future clinic appointments feel more comfortable. Also, being away from a hospital setting helps the professionals see how the young people are managing their diabetes in the ‘real world’ and provides opportunities to problem-solve together, further developing their confidence and independence with their condition.
The event also provides parents and carers some respite from the daily responsibility of managing their child’s medical care, providing assurance that their child is in great care with professionals that know how to care for diabetes.
Following the event, the young people expressed a desire for more opportunities to meet others with the same condition. Since then, the team have brought them together to dip their toes into the world of bushcraft and survival skills and to an outdoor activity centre in the woodland.