When most people indeveloping countries lives on two dollars a day, caring for a child’s diabetes takes a backseat to food and shelter. So, what can be done to ensure that people living with diabetes can live longer than the expected amount of time?
According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), in Mozambique, a person living with insulin dependent diabetes is only expected to live for twelve months because the cost of diabetes care is so high.
What can be done about facts like this? An organization called Life For A Child has created a program to make life possible for children living with diabetes in developing countries.
Life For A Child was created in 2001 as a child sponsorship program for children living with juvenile diabetes worldwide. Through this program, people can support a child living in a developing country through local diabetes centers. Their mission is to “meet the children’s immediate needs (insulin, syringes, monitoring and education), build local capacity and lobby governments to establish sustainable solutions. The money from the sponsorship assures that children living with juvenile diabetes receive the proper care in the proper amount of time so that they can live full lives just like anyone else.
Close to 1100 children in 18 countries are currently supported through this program, and you can also make a donation to ensure children living with diabetes live as normal as possible. Go to www.lifeforachild.idf.org to see what you can do to save a life for a child in a developing country.