Harborough woman with type 1 diabetes starts support group for those with 'challenging' condition

A mum-of-two diagnosed with type 1 diabetes has set up her own support group after struggling to meet anyone locally with the condition.

Emma Shaw from Market Harborough was diagnosed with the illness five years ago and said she made lots of mistakes at that time trying to manage her blood sugar levels and it would have been helpful to have someone in a similar situation to talk to.

Type 1 diabetes is a serious condition which causes blood sugar levels to be too high because the body cannot produce a hormone known as insulin. There is no cure and it is managed by insulin injections, diet and exercise.

Emma, a stay-at-home mum, said while there is a local social media group for both type 1 and 2 diabetes, there is not one just for the condition she lives with everyday.

So she set up a Facebook group which now has some 20 members who arrange meet-ups, ask questions and support each other.

Emma told the Mail: “After being diagnosed I struggled to meet anyone with the condition, especially locally. It’s a very challenging condition and there isn’t the support for type 1s or their friends and family.

"It has been very lonely, scary and made a lot of mistakes with trying to manage my blood sugar levels. I could have done with a group where I could write messages and talk to others.

"Harborough doesn’t have a group just for type 1 but it’s does for type 1 and 2. The conditions are different and our needs are different so I felt we needed to separate from the type 2 group and have one of our own.

“I decided to set up a support group for people in Market Harborough with type 1 and immediate family and friends. It is a safe place where people can ask questions, talk to others who know what they are going through and in future we plan to set up meet ups for parents to meet other parents and to make new friends.”

Click here to join the group or find out more.