York family’s joy at diabetes breakthrough

12:20pm Thursday 8th January 2009

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LIKE any other ten-year-old boy, Joseph Hadden loves sport, playing outdoors and is a football fanatic.

Yet every day, Joseph, of Tang Hall, York, has to have multiple injections to help keep his Type II diabetes at bay – a condition which has left him on the brink of death twice in the past two years.

He was six years old when he was diagnosed with the condition, and the youngster has since been taught to inject himself with insulin a minimum of four times a day.

If he misses a dose, or falls sick with a stomach bug, his life is in danger.

But thanks to special treatment being made available, Joseph is to become one of only five children in York to be fitted with an insulin pump, meaning the multiple injections are a thing of the past.

The pump, which is to be fitted in Joseph’s stomach later this year, means the insulin only needs to be topped up once every three days.

“He is so excited,” said mum Della. “We all are. It is going to make such a difference to all our lives.

“It is a new treatment that is not generally available – only a few people in York have it – so we feel very, very lucky that Joseph has been given this opportunity.”

She said Joseph would still require help to make sure he was using the correct dosage, but the insulin pump would give the youngster a “whole new lease of life”. “That is what he is looking forward to,” said Della.

“At the moment, he has to have four injections each day, but by the end of 2009 – once we get the pump – he will only need two or three a week.

“Joseph thinks it is fantastic.”

Della said despite being so young, Joseph had never complained about all the needles he has had to face over the past four years.

She said: “His condition has left him on the brink of death twice – and both times we thought we had lost him.

“But on each occasion, like every time he is feeling poorly, Joseph tried to make me laugh. He is a fighter.”

She said the family were very grateful to York Hospital for its support. Joseph’s pluck at dealing with his diabetes touched the hearts of readers and judges alike when he scooped the Child Of The Year award in the 2008 Community Pride Awards – a scheme run by The Press to recognise and reward community champions.

Device’s benefits hailed

THE benefits of an insulin pump have been hailed by a senior doctor at York Hospital.

Speaking about the pump, which is a medical device used for the administration of insulin in the treatment of diabetes as an alternative to multiple daily injections, Dr Dominic Smith, lead consultant for paediatric diabetes at the hospital’s NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Insulin pump therapy has been developing for a number of years. However, there have been recent improvements in the technology, and many centres in the UK are now using it.

“It is an early stage for the use of this method for children with diabetes.

“The treatment is of benefit to children and young people with diabetes as it gives a further option for frequent adjustment of insulin dose which can help control blood sugar levels.

“The children have impressed everyone with their enthusiasm and ability to manage the technical aspects of pump therapy.”