Rachel Teoh

Action4Diabetes (A4D)

Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is a serious condition. It stops your body from producing insulin - a hormone that allows your cells to absorb glucose. People with T1D must inject insulin at least four times a day to keep their blood sugars levels stable. If they do not, they could suffer from heart disease, blindness, strokes and kidney failure. Most people who have T1D develop it when they are young. It is a difficult condition, but managed correctly a person with T1D can live an active life. In the UK, over 250,000 people have T1D and get free care through the NHS. But, sadly, in South-East Asia hundreds of children from disadvantaged communities still die every year because of T1D. Healthcare systems in South-East Asia are often under-resourced, causing low T1D diagnosis rates. And if a child is diagnosed, insulin and blood testing equipment is often far too expensive for families to afford. At A4D we believe no matter where someone is from, or how much money they have, everyone has a right to access ongoing T1D care. It was in this belief that A4D became a UK-registered charity in 2015.