Diabetes Guernsey is hosting an exclusive go-karting event for its Diabetes Guernsey Youth type1 diabetes community on Sunday 18th April.
The event is a chance for the youngsters to come together and seek peer support in a fun environment.
There will also be two special guests in attendance as British Racing Champions Andy Priaulx, MBE and his son, Sebastian Priaulx will be heading down to the track to give the youngsters a few pointers.
Diabetes Guernsey Youth was formed to provide children and teenagers with their own support community enabling them to connect with others going through similar things.
The charity promotes their live well with diabetes message, and while you can lead a healthy normal life, diabetes is a lifelong condition for which there is no cure and it can be isolating especially for youngsters when they’re getting to grips with managing it. While youngsters have their family and the diabetes nursing team supporting them it’s crucial that they have peers that they can relate to.
Matthew Ferguson, Diabetes Guernsey Committee Member, told Channel Eye: “Events such as these are crucial for reaching out to the younger generation with diabetes. I know from experience that diabetes can sometimes be lonely, especially when you’re the only one in your friendship group with the condition.
“As much as you can vent to your friends, they will never really understand what it’s like to have diabetes. By getting the whole Diabetes Guernsey Youth community together we hope that the older ones can provide the younger ones with advice and support as they’ve been there themselves.
“Our events provide a space for the youngsters to enjoy themselves without worrying that they have to explain checking their levels or needing to take their insulin as everyone is in the same boat.”
The event will see the children taking part in two hours of karting, followed by food from Mim’s Kiosk and an hour of team games.
Matthew Ferguson, continues; “We’re so grateful to Andy and Seb for giving up their time to come down, we know that the kids will love seeing them and it’ll make the event extra special.”
The charity is also hosting a poster design competition in conjunction with the diabetes nursing team for their 5-to-drive slogan to raise awareness of diabetes. The designs will be judged by the Diabetes Guernsey committee with the winning design being made into a poster and used for the campaign.
The event is open to anyone under the age of 18 with type 1 diabetes and spaces can be reserved by emailing here. For more information about the charity head to their website.