When you become an adult at three years old

Could a mother have imagined that her little Matviy would have to grow up so quickly? At just three years old, he had to become incredibly patient and brave, accepting that constant finger pricks and injections are now a necessary part of his life. Since the end of 2022, Matviy has been living with insulin-dependent diabetes, which requires 24/7 monitoring.

Their journey with diabetes began abruptly, although, as it later turned out, the disease had already been "playing" with Matviy in secret for some time. It wasn’t until it came crashing in with ketoacidosis and extremely high glucose levels that it revealed its full force. The child was visibly fading before their eyes – he lost 2 kilograms of weight. Eventually, it became clear that Matviy’s pancreas had gradually stopped producing insulin, and over about six months, it had depleted its remaining reserves. Suddenly, there was no insulin left.

After a terrifying first week on insulin, Matviy slowly began to come out of his foggy state. He started smiling again, shouting "yum!" with a huge appetite across the hospital ward, and bravely enduring all the needle pricks. That’s when his mother realized – life goes on, and they will fight for a better, easier future. Science is moving forward, and thanks to diabetes gadgets like continuous glucose monitoring sensors, brave little warriors like Matviy can live full lives. His mother is now reaching out to kind-hearted people for help in purchasing these essential sensors.