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Local teen gets hi-tech help for diabetes

Tuesday, 16 June 2009

A NORTHSIDE teenager is to become one of the first people in the world to use a new medical gadget that’s set to transform the lives of millions of Diabetes patients. Donal Burke, from Castleknock, was diagnosed with Type One Diabetes when he was just three-years-old and spend his childhood having to take regular injections of insulin to manage the condition. Four years ago the 15-year-old swapped the needles for a special medical pump that allowed him to take the correct dosage when required without having to stick a syringe in his body. But as Donal has grown up, not even his trusty pump can keep up with varying changes in his glucose levels, and in the past year he’s suffered life threatening comas. But now thanks to a medical breakthrough Donal – who was sitting his Junior Cert exams at Castleknock Community College last week - will once again be able to enjoy freedom and safety with a new super advanced insulin pump. Medtronic's Paradigm Veo System can be worn discreetly on the body and it includes hi-tech features like a glucose sensor and a transmitter that continually monitors blood sugar levels. The patient uses readings from the monitor to determine their glucose level, and programs the insulin pump to deliver the appropriate amount of the life saving drug. One of the most frightening aspects of living with Type One Diabetes is hypoglycaemia – a potentially deadly condition caused by low levels of glucose. But sensors in the new system can detect when levels have dropped below a defined threshold, and automatically suspend insulin delivery for up to two hours. Hypoglycaemia often happens when the patient is asleep – which is what happened to Donal - so Medtronic’s new device means he’ll be able to rest easy at night knowing that his futuristic guardian angel is watching over him. Donal is hoping the new system will allow him to live more like other teenagers. While most youngsters his age take their health for granted, Donal has always had to check his glucose levels for as long as he can remember. “All my life I have had to make sure that my sugar levels were properly controlled,” he says. “I had to eat three meals at the same times every day and eat the exact same amount of carbohydrate every day. “When I was away on holidays, changing time zone and being in a hotter climate meant I had to test my sugar levels more frequently. “I also had to make sure that I had access to my insulin injections. So when I was going to school, heading off on holidays or even going out to play football with my mates, I had to be careful.” As he got older Donal switched from injections to a pump which allowed him to lead a more normal life. As a young teenager he could sleep in and have meals at whatever time he wanted. It also made it much easier to manage his diabetes when he was sick. However, mum Jacinta says that as he’s grown the amount of insulin required has varied meaning her son now has to be extra careful. “He is now 15 years of age and six foot one,” she says. “So I can't really baby him anymore! However the fact that he has grown so tall so fast and has now stopped growing has brought its own problems. “Night time or after exercise are the worst times as this is when his insulin requirements are at their lowest. His sudden growth spurt has resulted in Donal's condition fluctuating.” Donal had his first diabetic coma a year ago due to sugar dropping during the night. He subsequently had two more comas while sleeping which meant he had to disturb his sleep to test his sugar levels regularly during the night. However, Donal got some good news recently when his medical team identified Medtronic's Paradigm Veo System pump as a possible solution to his problem. “Donal will be the first patient in Ireland to get this new device,” Jacinta says. “It will give him peace of mind knowing that he can see exactly what his sugar levels are at any time during the day or night. It will increase his independence and allow him to enjoy an even greater quality of life. “Donal is really looking forward to having this new system and feels that it will make a significant difference for him.” Leading UK Consultant Diabetologist, Dr Peter Hammond, says Donal’s new medical gizmo is a significant breakthrough which will help people with diabetes to control their condition. “In order to reduce the long-term risk of diabetes-related complications, which can cause blindness, kidney failure and heart attacks, patients have to try and aggressively lower their blood glucose levels to get them as near normal as possible,” he says. “Paradigm Veo alerts the patient if their glucose levels drop too low, and stops them getting more insulin if they don't respond to the alert. “This will have a huge impact on the patient's quality of life, giving them greater flexibility and reducing anxiety, and protecting them against the long-term health complications of diabetes.”