London – World Diabetes Day 14 Nov -School children from across the UK attended Westminster to promote the Blue Balloon Challenge

35,000 young people in the UK have Type 1 Diabetes (Source:Diabetes UK)

12-year-old Danny Figuera who also attended Westminster to meet MPs also stars in this year’s national campaign video and he is keen to highlight the daily burden and stigma and support other young people with Type 1 diabetes.

Danny said: “Diabetes is more complex to live with than most people know, and its daily challenges are different for each person. Each day can be different depending on how it’s managed, and knowledge among those who don’t have this condition is low and we need more support to help spread the word. That’s why I’m happy I can help tackle the stigma head on. I’m grateful to have been able to speak to MPs today about the reality of life living with diabetes while helping raise money for young people around the world who don’t have access to the care I receive and also insulin.”

Organised by Medtronic, the global leader in healthcare technology, the #BlueBalloonChallenge challenge invites members of the public to step into the shoes of those who live with diabetes by posting a photo or film themselves as they try to keep a balloon in the air, a metaphor for the constant balancing act required to manage diabetes.

For every post, Medtronic will donate €5 to Life for a Child, a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing life-saving insulin and basic medical devices to children with diabetes in developing countries.

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs when the body does not produce insulin or produces insufficient insulin, resulting in excess glucose in the blood. Unlike Type 2 diabetes, it cannot be prevented and does not develop as a result of a particular lifestyle.

Currently, Type 1 Diabetes has no known cause and no known cure, but tight management of it markedly improves lives.