Life For A Child

Globally Type 1 diabetes is the MOST common form of diabetes in children, affecting around 500,000 under 15 years of age. Keep in mind however, that children of any age; teens, adolescents, toddlers, even babies can be struck by this life-long disease. My two boys are proof of that. If not detected early enough in a child, diabetes can be fatal! Yet diabetes in a child is often completely overlooked: it is often misdiagnosed as the flu or it is not diagnosed at all!

• Every DAY 200 more children develop Type 1 diabetes!
• Every YEAR, 70,000 children under the age of 15 develop Type 1 diabetes.
• Type 1 diabetes is increasing in children at a rate of 3%/yearly
• Type 1 diabetes is increasing the fastest in preschool aged children, at a rate of 5%/yearly.
• Over half of children with diabetes develop complications within 15 years. That's only 5 more years for our son Ethan.

My heart aches not only for my own children, Ethan and Caleb, but for those children who aren't as fortunate. Diabetes is a deadly disease! NO child should die of diabetes, yet each year there are at least 4 million deaths from diabetes=related causes! Children, particularly in countries where there limited access to diabetes care and supplies, die at a very young age. Children just like Ethan and Caleb. Ethan has lived with diabetes for 10 years now and Caleb three.
We are SO thankful to live in a country where their diabetic supplies are accessible,costly, yet accessible, and their diabetes care is a short distance away. Others are not so fortunate.
Children in underdeveloped countries die quickly of high blood sugar levels through inaccurate diagnosis, lack of insulin or lack of expert care. In other countries, expert care is available, but resources are limited and so early and serious complications frequently lead to death in young adulthood.

• In Zambia, a child with Type 1 diabetes can expect to live an average of 11 years. Ethan has lived 10 years with diabetes.
• In Mali, the same child can expect to live for only 30 months, or 2.5 years.
• In Mozambique, the child is likely to die within ONE year.

Without your help these children have a very dim future. What can we do? What can you do to help save the life of a child? I've been waiting for you to ask! I'd like to introduce you to, "Life For A Child" hosted by The International Diabetes Foundation

"The International Diabetes Federation's Life for a Child Program supports the care of close to 1100 children in over 18 countries worldwide. The program meets the children's immediate needs (insulin, syringes, monitoring and education), builds local capacity and lobbies governments to establish sustainable solutions."

One of the easiest way to support the health care of children in underdeveloped countries, is through a tax deductible donation to "Life For A Child." A dollar a day covers a child's care for a day. You can give once or on a regular basis, $1 or $50, your choice. Just click on the banner below and it will take you to the program's donation page. Just think, you could be saving the life of a child. What better present can you give yourself or in the honor of another?

Another opportunity to make a difference is by being an advocate for the future of children with Type 1 diabetes in developing countries through the "Life For A Child" program. This simply consists of finding 10 or more individual sponsors through your company, business, organization, etc. I will be hosting a sponsor drive on my blog in the next couple of weeks, so make sure and check back to see how you can help me personally reach this goal!

Do you have another way to help those less fortunate than yourself? Please feel free to leave a comment below and share with me.