Berwick’s Ryan Bayley has become a youth ambassador with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation since being diagnosed with the disease three years ago. He has urged residents to support Jelly Baby Month.
By Rebecca Fraser
WHO would have thought that eating lollies could help save lives?
In May, Casey residents have been urged to stock up on their jelly babies and help find a cure for juvenile diabetes as part of Jelly Baby Month, as run by Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).
Berwick mother of two Deborah Bayley is leading the local fundraising push with her five-year-old son Ryan, who is a youth ambassador with the JDRF.
Ryan, a prep student at Hillcrest Christian College, was diagnosed with type-one diabetes three years ago and his family knows all too well just how important is it to find a cure.
The brave boy must have two insulin shots a day and four finger-prick tests to check his blood glucose levels and his condition must be constantly monitored.
Ms Bayley said she would be selling the juvenile diabetes merchandise throughout the month of May at Ryan’s school and throughout the local community.
All the money raised from the sale of jelly baby products will fund the best and most promising Australian research to find a cure for type-one diabetes and its complications.
Statistics show that Australia has one of the highest rates of type-one diabetes in the world, with more than 140,000 children and adults suffering from the disease. Type-one diabetes cannot be prevented and as yet there is no cure.
Ms Bayley said the family had endured many scary moments and stressful times since Ryan’s diagnosis and her husband Neville was extremely supportive, often waking in the middle of the night to go and check their sleeping son’s blood sugar levels.
Ms Bayley said at times her son had recorded highly abnormal readings causing much stress within the close-knit family but she said Ryan was doing his best to take his condition in his stride and enjoy his first year of school.
“You have to monitor him every moment of the day.
“There is a lot involved and it is very stressful.
“He is very brave but he is having a bit of a tough time at the moment with the needles and he says they are hurting him,” she said.
Jelly babies are the JDRF mascot as they can literally be a lifesaver for people with type-one diabetes.
Ms Bayley said Ryan often ate the sweet treat as a quick source of sugar when his blood sugar level fell dangerously low.
Jelly baby products will be available from Woolworths and Safeway supermarkets, Amcal pharmacies and JDRF’s online store (www.jdrf.org.au) during May.
