Denуs's suffering can be alleviated. 3

Denys is in 2nd grade. The boy loves riding his bike and, like every child, dreams of simple joys without fear.

Denys was a cheerful, smiling, and very active boy from birth. But at the age of 3, after starting kindergarten, his condition began to change sharply: his smile disappeared, fatigue set in, and he began losing weight rapidly. At first his mother thought it was just adjustment to kindergarten. But one day Denys slept through almost the entire day – something completely out of character for him. The next day the boy had blood tests done, and his blood sugar level turned out to be many times above normal. The child was already in a critical condition. That same day Denys was hospitalized and diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, severe form. It came as a shock to the entire family – an illness for life.

The boy has now been living with this diagnosis for 5 years. It is difficult for him not only physically, due to constant blood sugar fluctuations, but also psychologically – he wants to be like all other children: to play, to eat treats, to live without constant restrictions and injections.

As he has grown older, Denys has begun to feel ashamed of his illness, even though he constantly needs monitoring and the help of an adult in critical situations.

His daily life means constant calculations of food and portions, insulin corrections, and ever-changing readings. Denys's mother raises him on her own. She is unable to work, as the child cannot monitor his blood sugar, calculate his food intake, or administer insulin injections – between 5 and 10 times a day, sometimes more – on his own. She is always near the school, as Denys needs monitoring throughout the entire day. His diabetes is very unstable and every day is unpredictable. That is why continuous glucose monitoring 24/7 is absolutely vital for the boy – it allows dangerous episodes to be caught in time and complications to be avoided.

Denys dreams of a cure for diabetes being discovered, so he can forget about constant injections. And in the meantime, he sincerely hopes for support and help to make his daily life a little easier.