1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,400 Speaker 1: Real change of pace because the walks being held at 2 00:00:02,400 --> 00:00:05,840 Speaker 1: the Darwin Waterfront this Sunday to raise awareness and funds 3 00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:10,320 Speaker 1: for research into type one diabetes. It's being organized by 4 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:14,920 Speaker 1: the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, which says that while progress 5 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:18,880 Speaker 1: has been made, a further fifty million dollars is needed 6 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:22,200 Speaker 1: over the next four years. Joining me on the line 7 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 1: is Darwin mum Vanessa Scott, who has a son who 8 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:30,440 Speaker 1: was diagnosed with type one diabetes on Christmas Day three 9 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:34,800 Speaker 1: years ago. Good morning, Vanessa, good morning. 10 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 2: Thank you for having me. 11 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:38,199 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's lovely to have you on the show. Vanessa, 12 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:40,720 Speaker 1: tell me how old was your son when he was 13 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:42,680 Speaker 1: diagnosed with type one diabetes. 14 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:45,839 Speaker 2: Yeah, so Jake was actually seven years old when he 15 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:49,880 Speaker 2: was diagnosed while on Christmas holiday visiting family in Western Australia. 16 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 1: Wow. What talk me through how you know how that 17 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:57,480 Speaker 1: diagnosis happened and how you worked out that it was 18 00:00:57,480 --> 00:00:58,560 Speaker 1: type one diabetes. 19 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, so I'm a nurse, so I had a fair 20 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 2: idea that it was type one diabetes when I took 21 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:12,120 Speaker 2: him to the hospital. So your classic symptoms for type 22 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:16,880 Speaker 2: one diabetes is weight loss, increase, thirst, increase your nation 23 00:01:16,959 --> 00:01:19,039 Speaker 2: as your body is trying to get rid of that 24 00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:23,560 Speaker 2: extra sugar and fatigue. And then as you become more unwell, 25 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 2: if you're go into kido acidosis, then you can lose consciousness, 26 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:29,200 Speaker 2: fall into a comas, die. 27 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:33,640 Speaker 1: It's frightening stuff. And it would have been for you 28 00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 1: as a mum. I mean, what was like. Obviously you're 29 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:39,679 Speaker 1: a nurse, so you're I'm assuming quite used to dealing 30 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:41,880 Speaker 1: with these kinds of things, Vanessa, But what was it 31 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 1: like for you when you sort of, you know, when 32 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 1: you finally got that diagnosis and realize what it would 33 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:48,880 Speaker 1: mean for your young fella. 34 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:53,600 Speaker 2: It's terrible. It's life changing because type one diabetes has 35 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:59,040 Speaker 2: no cure. It's needing insulin injections for the rest of 36 00:01:59,080 --> 00:01:59,560 Speaker 2: your life. 37 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:03,800 Speaker 1: I've got a my cousin is now grown up and 38 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 1: he has type one diabetes, and I, you know, as 39 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:09,360 Speaker 1: a kid, I never really realized how difficult that must 40 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 1: have been for him and his family. You know, we 41 00:02:12,040 --> 00:02:15,120 Speaker 1: just sort of you don't know right when you're a kid. 42 00:02:15,639 --> 00:02:17,800 Speaker 1: But now when I think about it as a parent, 43 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:20,600 Speaker 1: I think it must be really like, it must be 44 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:25,480 Speaker 1: quite tough managing, you know, with that him managing with 45 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 1: that insulin pump. And and just dealing with it more generally. 46 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 2: It is, so for people living with diabetes, they make 47 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:35,959 Speaker 2: about an extra one hundred and eighty decisions a day. 48 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:39,920 Speaker 2: So you're needing to every time you eat, you need 49 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:42,680 Speaker 2: to make a decision about what you're eating, how much 50 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:45,520 Speaker 2: carbohydrates in that food, how much insulin you're going to 51 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:49,040 Speaker 2: give to to cover that carbohydrate. You're looking at, what 52 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:52,600 Speaker 2: your levels, what's the trend, what's your activity? What do 53 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:55,919 Speaker 2: you plan on doing after you eat? So it's it's 54 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:57,799 Speaker 2: a lot, and it's twenty four hours a day. 55 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:02,639 Speaker 1: Vanessa wats Is it quite a costly you know? Is 56 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 1: it quite consely for families as well? 57 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:12,280 Speaker 2: It is, it's very expensive. So basically we've tried one. Diabetes, 58 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:15,960 Speaker 2: you need to inject insulin. There's two main ways you 59 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:19,200 Speaker 2: can do that. One is through using injections, so you 60 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:22,679 Speaker 2: would be injecting with a needle insulin every time you eat, 61 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:27,639 Speaker 2: or you can use what's called a insulin pump. So 62 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:30,520 Speaker 2: the pump means that for most people you're only needing 63 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 2: to put a needle in once every two days. That 64 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:36,560 Speaker 2: needle then stays in your body and you can just 65 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:38,880 Speaker 2: dial up the amount of insulin you need on your 66 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:41,720 Speaker 2: pump so that you're not needing to give yourself injections. 67 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:46,600 Speaker 2: So it's life changing. It's much more like less invasive 68 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:48,960 Speaker 2: for people. So you can imagine if you're at a 69 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:52,960 Speaker 2: restaurant pulling out a needle and injecting insulin into yourself, 70 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:55,320 Speaker 2: is you know, people around you give you quite a 71 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:58,360 Speaker 2: few weird looks. Or you can simply pull a pump 72 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 2: out and dial up your dose pumps. You can even 73 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 2: dial up your doves using mobile phone, so it can 74 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:06,480 Speaker 2: be very discreet for people around you don't know that 75 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:07,440 Speaker 2: you have diabetes. 76 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:11,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, but how for him though? 77 00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:16,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, about eight thousand dollars for an insulent p yeah. 78 00:04:16,520 --> 00:04:20,200 Speaker 1: Gee, that's a lot of money, it really is. Yeah. 79 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 1: And then I mean, so your son's about ten now, 80 00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 1: is that right? 81 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:25,839 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's right, he's ten. 82 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:29,880 Speaker 1: He's ten, And so it must be like it must 83 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:33,040 Speaker 1: be difficult for a little fella of that age sort 84 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:35,480 Speaker 1: of you know, learning about all this stuff with his 85 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:38,880 Speaker 1: body and and then sort of you know, and then 86 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:41,160 Speaker 1: having like having to manage this. 87 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:44,559 Speaker 2: It is, and it's I think one of the most 88 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:48,320 Speaker 2: difficult things is wrapping your head around the fact that 89 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:50,720 Speaker 2: it doesn't get better. This is for the rest of 90 00:04:50,760 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 2: your life. And Jake does everything a normal child does. 91 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:59,400 Speaker 2: He does jiu jitsu, he plays soccer, He's extremely active. 92 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:04,560 Speaker 2: He goes camping and swimming and fishing. It just takes planning. Yeah, 93 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:07,600 Speaker 2: we we just we need to plan diabetes into every 94 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:08,599 Speaker 2: activity he does. 95 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:12,400 Speaker 1: I'm so glad that you know that he is able 96 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:15,799 Speaker 1: to still do all of those different activities and Livy's 97 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:20,360 Speaker 1: life in a normal way. But I mean, like you've 98 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:22,760 Speaker 1: touched on, you've got to do so much planning in 99 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:24,719 Speaker 1: terms of like I don't want to get too stuck 100 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:28,280 Speaker 1: on this pump situation. But is that covered by health 101 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 1: by your health cover or anything. 102 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:34,520 Speaker 2: That's an excellent question. So people living with diabetes, they 103 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:37,279 Speaker 2: have a lot of out of pocket medical expenses. Yeah, 104 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:42,160 Speaker 2: so they're paying for their specialist appointments. Then they're paying 105 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:45,160 Speaker 2: for their consumables that goes for their pump. If you're 106 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:48,120 Speaker 2: someone who chooses to use the pump, if you were 107 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:50,560 Speaker 2: to buy one outright, it's going to cost between eight 108 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:51,640 Speaker 2: and ten thousand. 109 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:53,520 Speaker 1: Dollars, Holy moly. Yeah. 110 00:05:53,680 --> 00:05:56,800 Speaker 2: If you have private health insurance, then your private health 111 00:05:56,839 --> 00:06:01,760 Speaker 2: insurance will cover one pump every four years. Technology in 112 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:06,480 Speaker 2: that four years changes significantly, so you might find yourself 113 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:08,839 Speaker 2: that there is a better pump on the market that 114 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:11,240 Speaker 2: would suit your needs better, but you will stay with 115 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:13,880 Speaker 2: the same pump if you can't afford to pay ten 116 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:17,360 Speaker 2: thousand dollars for a new pump. And then for some people, 117 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:20,200 Speaker 2: if you can't afford private health insurance and you can't 118 00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 2: afford to pay that eight to ten thousand dollars, there's 119 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:29,839 Speaker 2: very limited, like hundred pumps for people of Vanessa. 120 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 1: It makes me really cross. Hey, when I think to myself, 121 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:39,360 Speaker 1: you know that that a family going through a diagnosis 122 00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:41,640 Speaker 1: like this, that they're you know, at the very time 123 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:45,279 Speaker 1: when you realistically need that health cover to be able 124 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:47,400 Speaker 1: to you know, to step up and to be able 125 00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:50,680 Speaker 1: to support you more than just once every four years. 126 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:56,200 Speaker 1: And the whole like, that whole situation makes me feel 127 00:06:56,480 --> 00:06:59,040 Speaker 1: angry on your behalf having to deal with that. And 128 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:02,240 Speaker 1: really it doesn't sound like that support is there as 129 00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:03,240 Speaker 1: it's actually needed. 130 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:07,120 Speaker 2: No, it's pretty it's very costly, it's and you know, 131 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:10,120 Speaker 2: not way fortunate that we have private health insurance, but 132 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 2: not everybody's in that situation. 133 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:14,680 Speaker 1: Vanessa. I do want to ask you because I know 134 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:17,080 Speaker 1: there'll be people listening this morning sort of you know, 135 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 1: maybe feeling a bit confused if they don't know a 136 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 1: lot about type one and type two diabetes. What's the difference. 137 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:28,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, so they're very different diseases. Diabetes it comes with 138 00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 2: a lot of stigma. So when you say diabetes, people 139 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:34,960 Speaker 2: they're automately say, oh, you're fat, you're lazy, you eat 140 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:39,400 Speaker 2: too much sugar. That's not actually the truth. So diabetes 141 00:07:39,440 --> 00:07:42,960 Speaker 2: has a strong genetic component which puts you at increase 142 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:46,840 Speaker 2: of developing it. For type one diabetes, it's actually an 143 00:07:46,880 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 2: autoimmune disease, which means that your body has attacked your 144 00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:56,400 Speaker 2: your cells and your paintings that create the insulin, and 145 00:07:56,440 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 2: your body no longer makes insulin. So it's an autom 146 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:02,520 Speaker 2: disease that has nothing to do with your diet or 147 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:04,400 Speaker 2: your exercise, eating too much. 148 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:07,880 Speaker 1: Sugar, and is type one more prevalent in young children 149 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 1: Type one. 150 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:15,080 Speaker 2: Previously it was known as juvenile diabetes because it was 151 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:18,880 Speaker 2: normally when people were diagnosed as diabetes as a child 152 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:23,520 Speaker 2: is type one. However, more adults are now being diagnosed 153 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:26,440 Speaker 2: with type one diabetes, and what children are now being 154 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 2: diagnosed with type two diabetes. So, yeah, it is more 155 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:34,560 Speaker 2: common in children, but it definitely can still be diagnosed 156 00:08:34,559 --> 00:08:35,080 Speaker 2: with adults. 157 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 1: So Vanessa. This weekend, there is a walk happening on 158 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:43,440 Speaker 1: Sunday morning. Give us a little bit of info about 159 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:44,920 Speaker 1: the walk and why it's happening. 160 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:51,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, So it's the It's the main sundraiser for JDRS 161 00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:55,319 Speaker 2: who have recently changed their name to Breakthrough T one D, 162 00:08:55,360 --> 00:09:00,200 Speaker 2: which stands for Breakthrough Type one Diabetes. These guys are 163 00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:04,640 Speaker 2: one of the main fundraisers and contributors to breakthroughs in 164 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 2: technology and trying to find a cure for diabetes. This 165 00:09:08,840 --> 00:09:11,920 Speaker 2: is their main fundraiser of the year. At the moment, 166 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:15,760 Speaker 2: we have forty seven people registered to participate for the 167 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:18,480 Speaker 2: walk in Darwin. There's also one an Alice Springs if 168 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:22,120 Speaker 2: you're living in Central The goal for Darwin is to 169 00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:27,240 Speaker 2: aim for fifteen thousand dollars raised towards typewine diabetes research. 170 00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:30,120 Speaker 2: At the moment we're only sitting at three thousand, six 171 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:33,320 Speaker 2: hundred and sixty five. So if you are wanting to 172 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:36,120 Speaker 2: join the walk or if you're wanting to donate, you 173 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:41,000 Speaker 2: can jump online on the walk JDRF website and you 174 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 2: can donate or join up. 175 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:45,200 Speaker 1: So just tell us that website again, so that if 176 00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:47,560 Speaker 1: anybody's keen to be involved in the walk or if 177 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:49,760 Speaker 1: they want to jump online and make a donation, how 178 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:50,520 Speaker 1: they can do so. 179 00:09:51,559 --> 00:09:53,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, So if you just pop into your search engine, 180 00:09:53,559 --> 00:09:58,720 Speaker 2: it's just walk dot jders dot org dot au and 181 00:09:58,760 --> 00:10:00,920 Speaker 2: then you can select which a walk is in your 182 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:04,240 Speaker 2: state or closest to where you live, and you can 183 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:06,880 Speaker 2: choose to donate or you can choose to register and 184 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:08,040 Speaker 2: raise funds yourself. 185 00:10:08,679 --> 00:10:11,760 Speaker 1: Well, Vanessa Scott, I really appreciate your joining us this morning. 186 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:14,280 Speaker 1: It's been like it's been an educational chat for me. 187 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:16,720 Speaker 1: There's things that you've told us this morning that I 188 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:19,120 Speaker 1: didn't know, and I think it's really important for people to, 189 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:21,400 Speaker 1: you know, to know a little bit more about type 190 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:24,880 Speaker 1: one diabetes, and particularly with our young people are young 191 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:28,120 Speaker 1: Territorians and people of all ages, but you know what 192 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:30,559 Speaker 1: you're going through on a daily basis, and that planning 193 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:34,640 Speaker 1: that is constantly required every single day. Just to give 194 00:10:34,679 --> 00:10:38,440 Speaker 1: people that that context and an understanding and hopefully get 195 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:40,400 Speaker 1: along on the weekend to support you guys. 196 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:45,080 Speaker 2: And it's a fantastic morning. There's barbecues, there's coffees, drinks, 197 00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:50,199 Speaker 2: ice cream, space painting, blues raffles and like games on 198 00:10:50,240 --> 00:10:53,440 Speaker 2: the days, so it's actually a really nice family mourning out. 199 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:56,760 Speaker 1: Vanessa, it's great to talk to you this morning. I 200 00:10:56,800 --> 00:10:59,240 Speaker 1: really appreciate your time. Thank you so much for having 201 00:10:59,280 --> 00:10:59,840 Speaker 1: a chat with me. 202 00:11:00,880 --> 00:11:01,800 Speaker 2: Thank you for having me. 203 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:02,760 Speaker 1: Thank you