Everyone with diabetes knows that sometimes they feel a little self pity and ask the question 'Why me?' or 'Why don't people understand?'. We feel left lost in a big world we're sometimes just getting to grips with, alone with no help. But how many times have you asked the question 'How do my family cope?' It may not seem like it but people suffering from the condition get the most support; hotlines, websites, camps, magazines and check-ups where we can discuss what ever is troubling us. For many children with diabetes their parents do a lot (or even most) of the coping with injections, high blood sugars and the rest. Who is there to support them?

Mother: I'm up in the night checking and monitoring my daughter's blood sugars when they go completely wrong. I'm afraid of night-time hypos, what should I do? Snack? Leave her? And not to mention forgotten glargine and highs of 24mmol at school.
Sometimes I get annoyed and frustrated, I don't mean it, and I only do it because I care. I always want the best for my daughter and how can I do this if I don't know what to do? The first year is a continuous uphill struggle but all you need is advice but once you got to grips you can still encounter a few difficult problems. I think what you need is phone call halfway in between you clinic visits because there is no one there to support us! They could be as long or short as you like. They could also be made by trainee doctors to give them experience in handling problems. It's also quite daunting when you read lots of articles about the tragic complications of diabetes like blindness etc. What we really need is the truth, not the media exaggerated version of the truth.

Father: When my daughter was diagnosed with diabetes it was quite a shock because I thought that family life might be completely changed because of the condition, but it wasn't. It is only a case of planning ahead and being slightly more disciplined, for example if you are going on a long journey take a spare sandwich in case of delays. It is just a case of looking ahead and thinking, and it should certainly have no impact on anything you can or can't do. Families and diabetics alike should be warned of this. If anything gets you down just look at diabetes and a part of normal life because it should never hinder you.

Brother: Before my sister was diagnosed with diabetes I had an awful image of the condition predominantly created by the media. This was created due to the constant dwelling on the fact that it was a disease which required so much attention, it hindered the sufferer in leading a normal life. For example, I thought that my sister would never be able to enjoy the luxury of sweets. However, I quickly learnt that this was a complete myth and diabetes should never stop you achieving your goals no matter how hard or out of the ordinary they may seem. After my sister's diagnosis she was straight back into normal life running the two in tandem. This year she has achieved things many people believe those suffering from diabetes could never. She has captained her school hockey team to northern finals, managed to reach grade five on her flute and excelled academically to name but a few of the outstanding achievements DESPITE suffering from diabetes! To ensure diabetes does not become an obstacle to your life's ambitions, close control of blood glucose is key. Through my sister's continual discipline, such as making sure she always checks her blood glucose two hours after eating, she has become her own expert. All the time I can see her constructing a huge understanding about HER body and diabetes responds under different conditions. Becoming your own expert ensures diabetes never impedes on activities such as sports matches. Remember it's a constant learning process. If the worst comes to the worst all you need is the supporting, friendly and accurate advice of your diabetes nurse which is only a phone call away.

Conclusion: Never let diabetes be an obstacle; it never stopped Steve Redgrave winning gold or me participating in the school ski trip. Just think how much support you are really getting. The supportive arm of a parent willing to do anything to support a child is probably the most support you can ever get so it is best to create the atmosphere in a family were nothing is impossible. Just having someone to talk to and discuss things with is the most important thing. Everyone needs to be educated not just the diabetic and in this way everyone can have a larger understanding of the condition and help each other out. Diabetes affects everyone NOT just the diabetic. Being alone and coping with diabetes is the toughest challenge so all we need to do is create a network in which people know they are not alone. Educating family and friends is a good way in which to do this.