I was wondering if anyone knew of support groups specifically for children of type 1 diabetics? My girlfriend’s father was diagnosed when he was 7 years old and now at almost 50 the effect of the disease is becoming more and more intense. The other night we met someone who was close to our age whose father was also in a similar stage and it occurred to me that my girlfriend had no one else like this to talk to. This person was just passing through town, so i am hoping to find some groups for her to connect with online where other children of type 1 diabetics can share their experiences and offer support, etc. Any ideas?
Thank you!
I see there is a Facebook group called “Type 1 Diabetes Family” with a small number of members, maybe it’s a good one. My husband could use a group for support too, so maybe I’ll suggest that one to him. The problem is that we are a very small subset of the population, and most people handle it very privately. I’m the type that gets a lot from support, so here I am! I don’t think many family members allow themselves to feel impacted enough by it that they reach out for support, so it’s great that not only your girlfriend is invested enough to care, but that as her boyfriend you do too. I think the attitude is “it’s our thing to handle”, and let’s face it, Type 1 is ridiculously complicated, so they try to stay removed from it. She might want to reach out to her local JDRF chapter to see if there are any activities she could attend to connect with other Type 1’s and their family members, and maybe Dad could go with you both. For instance, in the Phoenix area we recently had an an annual seminar with breakout sessions, and it was just nice to be around others like me who got it. Next time I’ll ask my hubby to come so he could have others to talk with.
hi @brianmayhall, wow that’s a tough one. I don’t know if it helps at all, but sometimes there are t1d support groups that meet near the town she lives in. Checking with a local (or her Father’s) endocrinologist might be helpful. If she goes to this website, there may be a JDRF Chapter near her. They have fundraisers and when that group gets together, they may know of some local support or even become a supportive network for her.
this may be prying, and please I am not trying to suggest anything in particular: but if she is having emotional difficulties as a result of her Father’s complications, she may also be able to find support through the local hospital like the bereavement support they have for cancer survivors and family. Therapy may also help, or other self-help such as CoDA might be something she could benefit from. Wish you well.