Laylani’s health turnaround thanks to funded trial
Keeping children healthy and in their communities
16 year-old Laylani has had type 1 diabetes for 14 years. At times it’s been a struggle for her to manage the constant monitoring and insulin injections required to stay well. As a result, she has experienced multiple hospital stays.
When Laylani was selected as one of ten young people for a trial made possible by Starship Foundation supporters like you, she made the most of the opportunity. It’s turned her health around. Supplied with monitoring equipment and an insulin pump, together with training and support from the Starship Diabetes Nurse Specialist, Laylani halved her HbA1c level within three months. Her nurse a describes this as a fantastic achievement. Better still, she hasn’t had any hospital admissions since starting on the trial.
Laylani says; “Before the trial I wasn’t really checking as I should have been. The continuous glucose monitor has made such a big difference because I’m able to always see what’s going on. And because I have insulin always going in, don’t have to worry about giving injections all the time.”
Laylani iS one of around 2000 young people living with diabetes in New Zealand. The Starship Foundation is helping Starship specialists advance the care and treatment of young people with diabetes in a number of different ways.
The ultimate goal is to enable our young people living with diabetes to spend as much time out of hospital as possible, allowing them to live a normal life and to participate in all their usual activities at home and at school.
Fran Moat, Lead Clinician, Starship Endocrine and Diabetes Service
Laylani in hospital, prior to getting her insulin pump.
I’d been struggling with my diabetes for a long time. I felt quite limited with my diabetes and I felt restricted in some of the things that I did, so I’m thankful for this opportunity. It’s opened my eyes to more of the things that I’m able to do.”
Laylani
