A Woollamia family enjoyed the rare opportunity to connect with other families who have a child living with type one diabetes.
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The Stallard family brought their daughter to Shoalhaven Zoo for a Diabetes NSW and ACT event on Saturday.
“You’re fairly connected to services when you’re first diagnosed, but after that it’s a bit harder,” Leanne Stallard said.
“Stuff like this is good, our daughter only knows one other child, locally, with diabetes, it’s good for her to not feel alone.
“Kids don’t like to feel different.”
While Leanne’s six-year-old girl went down the slippery dip, got her face painted and played on the tree top adventure course, she had the chance to catch up with a family they met through a similar event six months ago.
Around 150 people came from as far as Bulli to take part in the day-long event.
The group was split into two, one group climbed on the tree top course, and the other group took part in a scavenger hunt, and held snakes, sugar gliders and ringtail possums.
The Shoalhaven has been identified as a very high prevalence area for diabetes.
There are more than 8000 local people living with diabetes, or 7.8 per cent of the population.
This is significantly higher than the national average of 5.4 per cent.
As kids living with diabetes must monitor their blood glucose, take insulin and pay careful attention to their health, diet and exercise, they often feel different and isolated, and so the annual event was organised to help boost their confidence and self esteem.