Australian Group Works to Get Diabetes Supplies to Ukrainian Refugees
As Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine, scores of people have been fleeing their homes to reach safety in neighboring countries. According to the United Nations, there were more than 3 million Ukrainian refugees as of mid-March. Many people are lining up to help, with one Australian nonprofit focusing on something essential to many: diabetes supplies.
The Type 1 Foundation, a volunteer-run organization that works to improve the lives of those living with type 1 diabetes, has teamed up with a Polish doctor and diabetes foundation to help Ukrainian kids with the disease that have fled to Warsaw. They’ve been accepting donated diabetes supplies, including blood glucose meters, test strips, lancets, and insulin pen needles. These items will be sent out as part of care packages with other child-friendly items like books and drawing supplies.
For a bit of extra encouragement, a group affiliated with the organization is also collecting paper cranes with hopeful messages for Ukrainians. They’re hoping to get paper cranes from those living with diabetes, certified diabetes educators, and other members of the public.
In a Facebook post, The Type 1 Foundation said, “It’s our mission to build a lifelong partnership with the international Type 1 diabetes community to show them that we understand how extra challenging their situation is right now as they deal with war whilst also living with an unrelenting chronic condition.”
Since the effort began in early March, they say the community response has been strong. They also have nearly 100 volunteers lending a hand, ready to help collect, sort, and box the donations.
The project’s leader, Type 1 Foundation volunteer Belinda Moore, spoke with ABC News in Australia about the live-saving nature of this effort.
She said, “When you run low with your sugar, you just can’t function. They’re trying to walk hundreds and hundreds of kilometers with no food … it’s just a catastrophic thought.”
Refugee populations living with diabetes can struggle to find supplies even after their initial travels are over. According to research published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, refugee camps, rural and urban non-camp sites, and internally displaced people camps largely lack diabetes training for health-care workers. They also lack access to diabetes medications, with about a third not offering insulin.
If you’d like to learn more about The Type 1 Foundation’s efforts to help address this, check out their Facebook page.
