Support group aimed at families with diabetic children

Times Reporter

 

Finding out your child has diabetes can be a frightening, heart stopping moment, and many people may not know where to look for help. 

That’s why Tracy Sigurdson started a support group called Chestermere Children & Families with Type 1 Diabetes.

Though the name says Chestermere Children & Families, Sigurdson said she wants families and Type 1 diabetics of any age from Strathmore, Langdon and everywhere to feel comfortable joining. 

Sigurdson’s son Ethan was first diagnosed when he was 13 months old. He is now seven.

“When Ethan was very first diagnosed, I’ve never been very good at asking for help, and of course I say to the hospital, can you put me in touch with other families, and that took a lot to ask that question,” said Sigurdson.

“Just through whatever situations it never happened, and I even knew of a family that lived here in Chestermere who had a diabetic child…I knew them, and I never reached out to ask can you please help me. Now I’m thinking how silly is that, because my husband and I felt very alone for a very long time.

“So that’s kind of my point now is that I’m trying to get it out there that it’s not really asking for help. We’re creating this group just as a support…I know a lot of people that don’t want to ask for help and that’s why I want to advertise it as much as I can so that it’s there.”

The goal is to bring together the families so they can talk through the different things they have, or may be going through. The kids themselves can see they are not the only ones that have to monitor their blood glucose levels and give themselves insulin on a daily basis. 

“It’s a scary situation all around, but for the kids it’s even more so. The one family that we have in our little group, they were diagnosed I think three weeks prior to our get together,” said Sigurdson.

“Having their daughter be a part of our program and just seeing that we all do this, this is what we do day to day, you could see that it kind of lifted her spirits a little bit.”

She said the parents understand each other and it takes some of the stress out of a social situation. The kids get see they are not alone and there are other families out there just like them. 

“My point is, for my children anyway, is this is where these families live and if you’re out and about playing and you start to feel strange and their house is closer than our house, go there,” said Sigurdson.

Type 1 diabetes is also known as juvenile diabetes, but it is not something the children will grow out of. Type 1 diabetics must have insulin to live, and they must fight daily to control the effects of the disease. 

The next meeting for the group will be taking place August 20. To find out more go to the Facebook group, Chestermere Children (& Families) with Type 1 Diabetes or call Tracy Sigurdson at 403-990-0617 or 403-697-1445.