DUE to Australia’s well-documented battle with the bulge, diabetes can carry a certain stigma - that people with the disease have it because they don’t take enough care of themselves.
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But while this might be true of those with type 2 diabetes, those with type 1 diabetes face a daily struggle by chance, pricking their fingers, injecting themselves with insulin and monitoring their blood sugar levels.
It is not something we can ignore.
While insulin pumps help to provide a more consistent dosage of insulin, the continuous glucose monitor being pursued by the DANII Foundation has the potential to revolutionise the way people live with the disease.
It can give them a more immediate and accurate picture of the impact food and exercise have on their bodies, but also save lives because an alarm sounds when levels are too high or low.
It is an understatement to say the thought of not waking up in the morning would be unsettling, and this is a very real and scary possibility facing people with type 1 diabetes.
The problem with a $5000 outlay is that, while it is a relatively small investment considering its benefits, it creates a clear line between the haves and have-nots.
The families who can afford the device will have children who lead healthier and more normal lives, but the families who can’t will have to watch their child struggle more, with a potentially shorter lifespan.
The corresponding stress on the parents and the rest of the family would be worlds apart and the value of a good night’s sleep also cannot be underestimated.
The federal government has a chance to level this imbalance.
It is not acceptable for otherwise healthy children to die when it can be prevented - for Danii Meads-Barlow, it meant never having the singing career she aspired to and it would be a great thing for children like Scarlett Bailey to face fewer risks.
