Type1 Superstar ✨Willow✨

Willow was diagnosed with Type 1 a year ago, aged 10. We had taken her to the GP because my husband was concerned about her weight and I was concerned about all the trips to the toilet throughout the night. We honestly were not overly concerned as we hadn't heard back anything about her test results until a week and a half later. We were informed we needed to get Willow to the hospital. In Emergency she was Triaged Category 2 and we were immediately taken to a Resus Bay. Now we were terrified. Willow was in DKA and she spent two weeks in hospital.

Type 1 is unrelenting, exhausting and scary. There's multiple daily injections, so much math, bruising, blood, sleepless nights, too much juice, too many alarms, skin reactions to her CGM.

Willow is strong, amazing and will forever be my hero. There isn't anything she can not do. She is a dancer and is part of an amazing Performance Team who are just the best support and cheer squad for her. Her friends like to keep hypo treats in their

lockers in case Willow would ever run out, they sit with her when she has a hypo, they love to scan her CGM when her alarms are going off and she educates them on her BSL. Watching her little brother care for his big sister is something so special. He is a pro at giving her injections, can count carbs and work out corrections with the best of us but my favourite is seeing him cuddle and encourage her on days she is having a harder time giving herself another needle. Having diabetes is hard but seeing our girl surrounded by so much love and support is truly the best!