A mum from Swansea is swimming the equivalent of the English Channel to raise funds for Diabetes UK - after her son was the youngest person in Wales to be diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.
Nicola Snelling’s son Joe was diagnosed with the condition at just 18 months old.
Joe, now 15, will soon be moving from paediatric to adult services, so Nicola is taking part in Swim22 to say thank you for the support he has received.
Toilet, tired, thirsty
Nicola said, “It was an incredibly scary time when Joe was diagnosed. He was going to the toilet a lot, and was sleepy and thirsty, but we just didn’t know what the problem was. Joe’s dad, David, has Type 1 diabetes and wondered if Joe could have it too.”
A simple finger prick test showed he did have the condition. At the time, Joe was the youngest person in Wales to be diagnosed.
We're so proud of him
Nicola added, “It was daunting in the beginning when we had to inject Joe’s insulin for him, but now he is so independent. His confidence has really grown and we’re so proud of how well he manages his diabetes.
“Joe will be 16 in March and moving into adult services, so the challenge is my way of saying thank you for all the care he’s had since he was a baby and the support he’ll have in the future. Without it, Joe wouldn’t be here today.”
We are delighted that Nicola is making a splash for Diabetes UK Cymru. The money she raises will help us continue to support the 1,400 children and young people in Wales, like Joe, who have Type 1 diabetes.
Our Know Type 1 campaign is raising awareness of the symptoms of Type 1 diabetes to help people spot them and diagnose quickly, before someone comes seriously ill.
Look out for the four Ts: toilet, thirsty, tired, thinner, and if you spot any of them visit your doctor immediately and ask for a finger prick test.
To show your support and sponsor Nicola, go to her fundraising page.
