Diabetes UK Cymru has won a prestigious award at the inaugural Welsh Charity Awards.
We were delighted to be named as the winner of the ‘Change Makers Award’ at the prestigious ceremony at the National Museum in Cardiff, in recognition of our work to increase awareness of Type 1 diabetes, and support for children living with the condition, across Wales.
A level playing field
We formed the Care in Schools Alliance to lobby for children with medical conditions such as Type 1 diabetes to receive the support they need in school.
The Alliance successfully lobbied Assembly Members (AMs) to push for an amendment to the Welsh Government’s Additional Learning Needs (ALN) Bill, to include medical conditions alongside Special Educational Needs and Learning Disabilities.
This means that the 1,400 children and young people living with Type 1 diabetes across Wales will be given a level playing field to fulfil their potential, and achieve as much as any of their peers.
Know Type 1
We also launched our Know Type 1 campaign, to raise awareness of the early symptoms of the condition, so that children can be safely diagnosed before they become seriously unwell. The campaign was inspired and spearheaded by the Baldwin family, from Cardiff, whose son, Peter, passed away as a result of undiagnosed Type 1 diabetes when he was 13.
The family’s petition, supported by us and the Children and Young People’s Diabetes Network, led to the Welsh Government Petitions Committee making 10 recommendations to increase early diagnosis last year.
We were honoured that Peter’s parents, Beth and Stuart Baldwin, were at the ceremony on Friday 15 November to receive the award.
A team effort
Dai Williams, National Director, Diabetes UK Cymru, said, “We are absolutely thrilled to have won the Change Makers award at the first-ever Welsh Charity Awards.
“We are so proud to work with the Baldwin family. Several of the Petitions Committee recommendations have already been implemented and most importantly, we know of several children who have been diagnosed safely as a direct result of hearing Beth so courageously share their story. The campaign is Peter’s legacy and something we are so proud to continue to work on.
“This was very much a team effort; we could not have achieved such fantastic success alone. We’d like to thank the Baldwins, the Care in Schools Alliance, the Children and Young People’s Diabetes Network and Professor Justin Warner, paediatric endocrinologist at the University Hospital of Wales and a Diabetes UK Clinical Champion, for their ongoing work and support.”
We are so proud of everything that has been achieved so far, and of the work to come in this vital area.
For more information about Know Type 1, or to request posters or other resources, get in touch via Wales@diabetes.org.uk.
