Stepping up

By Lia Bichel
A SEVEN-year-old Berwick girl was one of 39 youth ambassadors promoting Type 1 Diabetes awareness at Parliament House last month.
Lavinia was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes on 13 December last year and in an attempt to help others in her situation, signed up as a youth ambassador through the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).
In June, Lavinia told the News she was looking forward to The Kids in The House event on 28 July, which gave diabetic youth an opportunity to tour Parliament House, meet their local minister, and discuss the importance of diabetes awareness.
V8 Supercar driver Jack Perkins, who also has Type 1 diabetes, kicked off the day with the world’s first and biggest simultaneous finger-prick to raise awareness about the realities of life with Type 1 Diabetes.
Lavinia’s mother Joanne Martin joined her on the trip, where they also met the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly MP Jenny Lindell, Bass MP Ken Smith and JDRF president Dr Sue Alberto.
“It was a humbling experience,” Mrs Martin said. “It was a day we will never forget.”
Mrs Martin said children and adults told politicians devastating and personal stories about life with the disease, and asked them to understand the importance for a cure.
Parliamentary Secretary for Human Services Telmo Languiller responded to the stories by promising to remember them when making important policy decisions that relate to Type 1 diabetes and medical research to find a cure.
Lavinia said her favourite part of the day was touring the library and sitting in Ms Lindell’s chair.
“The library looked like something out of Harry Potter,” she said.
Mrs Martin said people could help find a cure for the disease by participating in the JDRF annual fundraising campaigned, ‘Walk to Cure Diabetes,” which will be held at Albert Park Lake on 18 October.
“Lavinia has her own website page through JDRF if anyone would like to donate or even start their own team and help us achieve our goal and find a cure for the 140,000 people living with this life-altering disease of Type 1 Diabetes,” she said.