My brothers kept getting cross with me when I wouldn't finish games in the garden, just before my diagnosis with Type 1 Diabetes in December 2005 and my Dad had criticised me for not trying in school rugby games. I was weak and restless and was so thirsty that I carried two cartons of juice with me wherever I went. My Mum had taken me to the doctor a few weeks before because she was worried that I was very thin, but he thought it was just because I was tall for my age. My family thought my thirst was because we had recently moved out to Zambia, southern Africa, for a couple of years and I wasn't used to the heat. Against my will, Mum took me to the local clinic for a check up just before we were to travel to an isolated lake for New Year. Had we gone there I probably wouldn't have returned.

I was eight at the time when the doctor told us that I had Diabetes. Knowing nothing about Diabetes, I thought he meant 'Rabies', that I would froth at the mouth and die! I was horrified and burst into tears. When the doctor explained that it wasn't that serious I felt relieved, but then he showed me an enormous needle and said I would have to inject myself for the rest of my life. The nurse brought in an orange for me to practise on. Of course treatment is not like this in developed countries and I feel very sorry for all the children who do not have the wonderful care we have in England. Many children who have Type 1 Diabetes in Africa and other developing countries die very quickly without proper care or education. One day I would like to try and change this for them. After I was diagnosed I played a lot of football with my Zambian friends in our garden and it helped to keep my blood glucose levels normal. Sometimes I would invite the street children, who would hang arou! nd our gates to come in and play. They were brilliant at football, always played barefoot and we had some great games. If one of them had got Diabetes, they might not be alive now. I am lucky.

I remember I was in the bath when Mum told me the news that I was going to be sent in an air ambulance to Johannesburg. I was worried that I would not be able to start at my new school in Zambia on time. I was right; I was a term late.

I was flown in an air ambulance supersonic jet to Johannesburg in South Africa. The immense speed was exciting and the kindness of the nurse and doctor who went with me made the trip comfortable. I was taken into the hospital on a stretcher, but some of the nurses were laughing because I was sitting up, smiling. I was lucky that I felt all right. My blood sugar level was 33 at the time, which didn't mean much to me or my family; I remember coming back from the doctor's just after I was diagnosed and my mother saying I could probably still go to my golf lesson; when we rang the doctors in England to ask for advice, they said definitely not, but none of us understood that I could have fallen into a coma. We knew nothing about Diabetes and as far as we know nobody else in our family has ever had it. What is strange is that another boy at my school got Type 1 just before I did.

At the time I was sent to the hospital in Johannesburg, England was playing South Africa at cricket and I teased the doctor in the South African Hospital and said that we would win. I think we talked more about the cricket than my Diabetes. As I began to get better I got incredible burst of energy and had fun jumping into the lifts in the hospital and leaving my mother behind! I had several adventures when I was in the hospital. One day the doctor allowed my Mum and I to go to the zoo. It seemed strange and nice to be doing something normal again, my mother was worried about what snack to give me and I suggested a packet of crisps, which I ate triumphantly. We saw a large grizzly bear at the zoo and he waved his paw to me!

Ten days later I came back to England to be taught how to cope with my Diabetes. I thought the doctors and nurses were great coming all the way to my grandparents' house to teach us what to do. My Diabetes Nurse, Lynn and the doctor I see are very helpful and are always ready to answer my questions, I have lots and my mother has even more, which is sometimes rather boring.

There are some good things about having Diabetes. Friends are often envious of my dextrose and sports drinks and when I play golf with my Grandpa and feel low, we sit under a tree together and share some dextrose tablets. My brothers think it is cool that I inject myself. I went on a Diabetes UK family weekend, which was great fun, we stayed in a very nice hotel, ate delicious food played in a big jungle gym and all the doctors and nurses had Type 1 as well. The best thing of all is that my parents got me a puppy; he exercises me a lot! I think it is a good thing that I got Diabetes when I was young because I have learnt how to cope with it for life. I feel more confident with my Diabetes now and am much more independent, even boarding at school sometimes. If I would change anything about my treatment, I would like to change the way I do my blood tests because it is a nuisance and interrupts my day. Also it would be good to wear some kind of patch when playing sport that could tell you if you were low, cricket matches can last a long time!