Thatcher is one of 29,000 children living with type 1 diabetes in the UK. As he learns to live with his lifelong condition, he has Deapp to help him along the way.

When Thatcher was three years old, he received his type 1 diabetes diagnosis – a life-threatening condition that causes blood sugar levels to rise too high with the immune system attacking cells in the pancreas.

Thatcher’s mum Karen first noticed the symptoms six months ago. At first, it seemed Thatcher wasn’t recovering from a virus – he was tired and lethargic, was very thirsty, and needed to go to the toilet a lot. Karen took him to the Children’s Emergency Department at the Leicester Royal Infirmary where a finger prick test showed he was in Diabetic Ketoacidosis – a life-threatening complication of untreated diabetes.

He was rushed into intensive care and given lifesaving insulin. During a four day stay at the hospital, the family were given access to the Diabetes Education App (Deapp), an interactive app that teaches children and their families to independently manage type 1 diabetes. Karen recalls “Hearing Thatcher’s diagnosis was scary. We were unsure what was ahead for us. I was worried about what his future would look like. Would he be able to go out and play with his friends? How would he go on holiday? Will he be able to get a normal job?”

But the dedicated diabetes team spent two days teaching Thatcher and his parents how to use Deapp, so they could learn how to manage his condition at home.

Sarah Lockwood-Lee and her colleagues founded Deapp to give children like Thatcher independence and autonomy over their own learning.

Sarah explained “Everyone learns in different ways and at a different pace. Deapp allows children and their families to learn in their own way. And the team are always on hand to answer any questions families may have.”

Children like Thatcher learn about insulin injections, hypers and hypos, and carb management from fun and engaging educational videos. Thatcher’s older brother Grayson often joins in to learn too. Plus, Deapp comes with a handbook that Thatcher’s grandparents use to learn how to manage his diabetes when he stays with them.

Karen describes how brilliant Deapp is “It’s so easy and simple to understand. The videos keep Thatcher engaged and he understands it all!”

While Thatcher will live with the life-long management of his diabetes, Karen no longer worries about what his future looks like.

Thatcher starts primary school this year and Karen is confident he will be able to manage his condition himself. With their new confidence, and for the first time since Thatcher’s diagnosis, the family are going abroad – to Disneyland Paris!

The Deapp team are ever developing the app to ensure it is inclusive and appropriate for everyone who uses it. Thanks to the support of donors in the community and local organisations, the app has undergone developments to translate the content into other languages, and to make it accessible for those with visual impairments.

Karen is grateful to everyone who makes projects like these possible. “Thank you for making the hardest times of our lives easier.”