Insulin for Life

So far in my posts about raising awareness of Type 1 Diabetes in poor and developing countries I have mainly focussed on the International Diabetes Federation and Australian Diabetes Council program called Life for a Child.

Today I am looking at another organisation, this one is called Insulin for Life.

Insulin for Life is an organisation established in 1999 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia - with the following objectives (taken from the Insulin for Life Lecture PowerPoint Presentation - Download):

• urgent short-term and continuous overseas supply of insulin and other items
• mentoring similar programs in other countries
• sustainable improvement in the cost of insulin to the user and in its availability in countries in need

The organisation's Active Supply Program includes the following countries:

• Bolivia
• Ecuador
• Congo (Republic)
• Congo (Democratic Republic)
• Rwanda
• Tanzania
• Cambodia
• Kyrgyzstan
• Russia
• Turkey
• Uzbekistan
• Ukraine
• Maldives

Many hospitals and diabetes clinics around Australia and internationally collect unused and in-date insulin and other supplies from families who no longer need those supplies for reasons such as change of medication or insulin delivery method (ie. going from injections to insulin pumps usually requires a change in insulin type and reduced need for long-acting insulins). 

Those supplies are then directed to Insulin for Life who arranges for distribution to children in areas of need.

It is important that while we want to make sure that our communities are aware of Type 1 Diabetes and how it affects our own kids, however, we, as parents of children who have relatively easy access to these medications and supplies have a responsibility to ensure that we do whatever we can to help those who do not.

Please check out the Insulin for Life program and if your hospital or diabetes clinic is not yet involved, ask them to look into it and see if they can join in.