In celebration of Diabetes Week this June, we wanted to share our own throwback to diagnosis & why we created the Betes the Axolotl project.

Diagnosis

It started about a week before, when we had noticed our son getting up at 11pm for the toilet which was unusual but not remarkable, he was 9...That weekend he went away on Cub Camp which was for one night and 2 days. When they returned, the trip leader said he had not stopped drinking and going to the toilet the whole time, this was Sunday. So, on Monday Em took him to the GP thinking it was possibly urine infection. 

By 11am that same Monday, we were sitting together in A&E with an injection pen and trying to take in what we were about to embark upon. A hard landing and a shock, but within a few weeks we all started to find our feet with our new normal. 

Every diabetes journey will be entirely unique, but its the little moments which we can all connect with. 

T1D Cuddly Teddy

During the first weeks on from diagnosis, our son was given a teddy...Rufus, the Bear with Diabetes! He took him wherever he went, and we could see how comforting this little bear was. Rufus the Bear made such a difference to our family along with other families we met. 

So, when we were given the opportunity to create our own teddy, we felt it was really important to get it right. We wanted to make a cuddly teddy that would give support and comfort to the children newly diagnosed. It's a daunting period of time for the whole family so if we could make that first experience just a little better, that's what we would do...and then came the story of Betes the Axolotl.