Our local Youth Worker Sophie met with Thalia, one of our local Together Type 1 Young Leaders. They chatted about Thalia’s type 1 diagnosis, her motivations for training to become a nurse, and why she wants to help other children and young people with the condition.
Sophie: What was your diagnosis experience like for you?
Thalia: "It was overwhelmingly scary and life-changing. I’d just turned 12 years old and I was a month into starting secondary school, and all of a sudden I was admitted to hospital with dangerously high blood sugars and diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. I have no family history nor familiarity of the condition which made my diagnosis a lot to wrap my head around."
How has this inspired you to train to become a nurse?
"My diagnosis inspired my passion for nursing because of the treatment I received both in the hospital and in my clinic appointments. I’ll forever be grateful for the nurses who eased my worries in a way a twelve-year-old could understand, the nurses who played card games with me whilst waiting for blood test results, and the nurses who continue to support me through my type 1 journey. They’ve all inspired me to want to give that kindness back."
What do you hope to achieve when you qualify as a paediatric nurse?
"I want to help young people who are or have been diagnosed with a potentially lifechanging condition, the same way I was. I want to make a difference to the care children receive by supporting and encouraging them and their parents. I also want to change the way care is delivered.
"In my experience, consultants have a very ‘by the book’ approach to managing diabetes, but it’s not a condition where a one size fits all treatment will be effective. Everyone manages their type 1 in an individual way that works for them, and I’d like for healthcare workers to be more openminded to that. By becoming a nurse, I hope that others will adopt a similar mindset."
What was your motivation for becoming a Young Leader?
"I’ve learnt so much on my journey of living with type 1 and it’s important for me to share that with others, both the positive and negative experiences. Through this role I can help create a community for young people with the condition, by giving them the chance to meet at events and through mentoring programmes. For those who may not know anyone else with diabetes, these kinds of meetings can really help you feel less alone."
Find out more about the Together Type 1 programme
What do you want to achieve through the role?
"I hope to support others who may be struggling with their diabetes. I hope by sharing my tips and tricks to make living with type 1 just that little bit easier, they can make someone else’s life a bit easier too. Additionally, I hope to raise awareness around diabetes and help shape the way care is delivered for other young people."
What one piece of advice would you give to other children and young people who have recently been diagnosed with type 1?
"You can do it! You’re not alone with what you’re going through. It’s important to allow yourself time to adjust to life with type 1. Remember it’s okay if it goes wrong, you won't always get it right and that’s okay. You’ll have good days and bad days, but eventually you’ll develop tricks that work for you to make the bad days easier."
More from Young Leaders in the south west and south central regions:
