Diabetes Week ran from June 12-18 and its aim was to bring people together to raise awareness of the condition. Over 3.5 million people are diagnosed with diabetes in the UK and an estimated further 549,000 have the condition but don’t know it. Yet diabetes is still hugely misunderstood, and there are many myths and misconceptions among the public. 

NELFT diabetes nurse specialist Claire Vine works at the Craylands Clinic in Basildon. Claire has written about her experiences of living and working with the condition:   

My name is Claire Vine and I am a “Type 1 Diabetic” among other things a daughter, wife, mother, friend, colleague, recognised Queen’s nurse and a community diabetes specialist nurse working for NELFT.

I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of five following a rather bad case of chicken pox. My GP at the time tested my urine and in her words “off to hospital please, Claire has sugar diabetes”. We are now thankfully aware of all the different types of diabetes and recommended treatments.

How times have changed! The insulin pen that appeared during my teenage years was revolutionary for the time. I did not miss the finger pricker catapult which unfortunately was my own means of managing my diabetes at that time.

Being so young at diagnosis, my mother, father and extended family took care of me. I had a food menu to pick every morning designed by the dietician and sweets in my diet were non-existent. I was supported by a wonderful team at the local hospital, even during my teenage years, where I was guilty of not adhering to the “ideal” diabetes management. It delighted me recently when I met my paediatric diabetes nurse through a work meeting and she is still going strong after all these years.

Diabetes was rare at that time and it had a psychological effect. I didn’t want to attend school out of fear. With much support I conquered my fear and went on to college and finally university. From a young age I wanted to become a nurse and I joined NELFT as a newly qualified community nurse around 10 years ago.

I decided to become a diabetes nurse because I wanted other people with diabetes not to fear the condition and be able to feel supported in managing it no matter what life throws at you. I completed the SWEET course when I first joined the service. Out of all the conferences and educational courses I have attended, this one changed my life the most.

Ok, with type 1 diabetes you can only have up to a 3-year driving license and you cannot join the armed forces, but there is still so much you can do. Diabetes rarely affects my daily living apart from hypos - these can be a pain when you are having a stressful or busy day. Thankfully I feel in control and have all my hypo treatments nearby. I used to keep my diabetes a secret especially as a teenager, but as I have grown up and felt more confident, it has become something positive to talk about and I would encourage others to do so.

I used to be the secretary for the Thurrock diabetes group, although they have sadly closed now there are still other local groups in Basildon and Brentwood who I would highly recommend. It gives me the most unbelievable pleasure to run the SWEET type 1 course and pump clinic, especially to see that difference in the attitudes, mental state and general wellbeing of the patients after completing it. We now have amazing technologies in the community such as insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitoring. I chose to have my diabetes care here where I work, some may say I am biased but they are the most knowledgeable, kind and caring people I know.

For more information about the Craylands Clinic and the adult diabetes team, visit their page on the NELFT website: www.nelft.nhs.uk/services-bsbwtk-adult-diabetes