Thanks to your kind gifts, Aryan can meet other children just like him.

Just before he turned four, Aryan was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. His mum Rupa didn’t recognise
the symptoms at first, she didn’t even know children could have diabetes and with no history of the disease in her family, Aryan’s diagnosis came as a complete shock. It was a struggle accepting the challenges of Aryan’s illness, he didn’t like the daily injections and Rupa found it hard to hold back tears when he resisted them.

Aryan began to feel like he was different to other children, and he didn’t want to wear an insulin pump because that would make him stand out even more. He just wanted to fit in with the other children and feel normal. Sadly, this experience is all too common for families navigating the challenges of diabetes. Nobody knows this better than Katy Sparrow.

As a Senior Specialist Dietician at Leicester Royal Infirmary, she saw firsthand how some of her patients and their families felt alone in their struggle. So, Katy had a bright idea – to create a group away from a clinical setting to bring children and families together.

And that’s how the ‘Highs and Lows’ group began. Because of generous supporters like you, this
special group of children and their parents can meet up four times a year for activities like bowling, picnics, crazy golf and even trampolining. The wonderful diabetes team of specialist nurses, psychologists and consultants volunteer their time during evenings and weekends to ensure the events are a success. Katy said “It’s wonderful to be able to help so many families find the support they need in each other. More and more families are joining the group for each session, allowing them to build connections, share experiences, and create a strong community of care and understanding.”

The first time Aryan and Rupa attended, they met the group at mini golf. Aryan was a little shy at first, but as he started playing with the other children, something great happened. Spending time with other children like himself gave Aryan a sense of belonging he had never experienced before. And seeing other children wearing their insulin pumps gave him the confidence to wear one himself.

Now, at eight years old Aryan is passionate about helping other children with type 1 diabetes. He wants to start a YouTube channel and make videos teaching other children how to do finger prick tests, how to change their insulin pumps, and what to do if their blood sugars are low. He even wants to be a Diabetes Doctor when he grows up. Aryan and Rupa are already looking forward to the next event, when they’ll be joining the rest of the ‘Highs and Lows’ group for a picnic in the park.

Your generosity means Aryan and his friends can continue to meet up and inspire each other. Highs and Lows is so much more than a social event, it’s helping to build a community of resilient families who can find support in each other.