A mother says her daughter’s life was only saved because she read a report about a teenager who tragically died from undiagnosed Type 1 diabetes.
Realising the symptoms were the same as her daughter Bella was experiencing, Helen Brown from Cardiff rushed her straight to the doctor.
Bella, then 11, had just won a place and scholarship to go to ballet school when she was diagnosed with the auto immune disease.
Read more: Boy, 10, rushed to hospital 'like a bag of bones' after condition missed during pandemic
A few years later Helen’s younger daughter Olivia started showing the same symptoms and was also diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes aged 10. This time she knew the symptoms.
Type 1 diabetes causes the level of glucose in the blood to become too high when the body cannot produce enough insulin to control it. It is usually treated with daily injections of insulin and is not the same as type 2 diabetes which is linked to age and weight. Type 1 can be fatal if not treated rapidly.
“Diabetes doesn’t run in the family. It was scary because when Bella had symptoms we didn’t know what it was,” said single mother Helen.
“It started with stomach aches. The doctor said it was abdominal migraines. They tested her to see if she was coeliac. She had low iron and was then very thirsty.
“Then I read about a boy from Whitchurch High dying with undiagnosed type 1 diabetes. I think I read about it on Facebook and it was in WalesOnline, but I am not sure where I first read it.
"It was awful. The symptoms seemed the same. I stopped work immediately and took Bella straight to the doctor. It was really scary. That article I read saved her life.”
Bella, now 15, got the treatment she needed and three weeks later left home to board at the The Hammond School in Chester where she studies ballet.
Back in Cardiff her younger sister Olivia started showing the same symptoms a few years later. This time Helen recognised them.
"It was awful, she had stomach aches and lost weight very fast. She lost half a stone in a weekend and was very thirsty. Luckily I had the equipment at home to check and knew what it was, "said Helen.
Olivia, now 13 and also a keen ballerina who has been dancing since the age of two, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes two days after auditioning for the Royal School of Ballet when she was 10.
She now uses a sensor known as a “Libre” to monitor her blood sugar levels, which means having a needle in her arm all the time.
Undeterred Olivia carried on dancing and has now got into the same ballet school as her older sister. She has also got a coveted place to compete with the Wales team in the Dance World Cup in Spain in June.
Helen, who works in IT, said diabetes had been a struggle and she wants people to be aware of the symptoms.
Both girls have been in hospital at times because of the condition and Olivia had a phobia of needles.
“You can dance with diabetes but everything is harder. It is amazing that they dance. They have to work harder than the other dancers because diabetes affects the ability to concentrate and energy.
“Olivia’s journey with diabetes has been a hard one. She has inconsistent blood sugars and periods of very high levels. She has been admitted into hospital three times and never seems to get a smooth ride with it.
“Olivia found it difficult to accept her diagnosis and is very scared of needles: Initially she didn’t want the Libre, as she was worried, she would have to inject more insulin, but her diabetes team insisted on it. She hid it, wore bandages and plasters over it. She wouldn’t even tell her friends she had diabetes. “
While all this was going on Olivia, now in year eight at Whitchurch High, almost gave up dancing, but was soon back on her feet.
Olivia now does ballet lessons five to six times a week after school for between two and four hours each time at Katrina Lyndon School of Ballet & Contemporary Dance. She can’t wait to fly out to the Dance World Cup.
“I’m really excited. There are loads of diferent teams from around the world,” said the Whitchurch High year eight pupil.
“I will be out there for 10 days and have three solos and four group dances.
“It is quite tough knowing and checking my blood sugar levels. Sometimes if they get high it’s a lot of work, but I know what to do and it’s something I have to live with.
“I like dancing a lot. I’ve been dancing since I was two. I didn’t like it during lockdown because it was all on Zoom so it’s great to be back.”
Helen is proud her daughters haven’t let diabetes get in the way of their dream to dance.
“The girls having diabetes has been the hardest thing but we’ve had to deal with it. It does make you worry all the time.
“When my older daughter was diagnosed she had just got into ballet school and I said she couldn’t go. She said “don’t destroy my dream”. The school’s first reaction was that she couldn’t go, but they also changed their policy.
Only five people in each country qualify for the prestigious Dance World Cup. Olivia and the rest of the Welsh team are currently looking for sponsors to help them represent Wales with ballet, jazz and lyrical categories. To donate visit
What is type 1 diabetes?
People with type 1 diabetes can't produce insulin. About 8% per cent of people with diabetes have type 1. No one knows exactly what causes it, but it’s not to do with being overweight and it isn’t currently preventable.
It’s the most common type of diabetes in children and young adults, starting suddenly and getting worse quickly. Type 1 diabetes is treated by daily insulin doses – taken either by injections or via an insulin pump. It is also recommended to follow a healthy diet and take regular physical activity.
The condition can be overlooked and dismissed. In 2020 a child died as a result of undiagnosed diabetes in Wales, because of delays seeking medical help during the pandemic.
Type 1 diabetes possible symptoms
Diabetes UK Cymru said possible signs of the condition are known as the four Ts. They are:
- Toilet - Going to the toilet a lot, bed wetting by a previously dry child or heavier nappies in babies
- Thirsty - Being really thirsty and not being able to quench the thirst
- Tired - Feeling more tired than usual
- Thinner - Losing weight or looking thinner than usual
Type 2 diabetes
People with type 2 diabetes don’t produce enough insulin or the insulin they produce doesn’t work properly (known as insulin resistance).
Around 90 per cent of people with diabetes have type 2. They might get type 2 diabetes because of their family history, age and ethnic background puts them at increased risk. They are also more likely to get type 2 diabetes if they are overweight. It starts gradually, usually later in life, and it can be years before they realise they have it. Type 2 diabetes is treated with a healthy diet and increased physical activity. In addition, tablets and/or insulin can be required.]
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