Circle D - May 2015
Welcome to our all-new monthly spotlight on an organisation or resource that can help us all in our quest for better health!
The May spotlight's on......Circle D - Support for 18-30s with Diabetes www.circledrocks.co.uk
Read on for all the details and/or download your personal copy here!
What is it?
Circle D is an online and face-to-face support group for people living with diabetes aged 18-30 (ish!). It grew out of an initiative from Diabetes UK to help young adults support each other, by setting up groups to share the feelings and experiences of being diagnosed with diabetes. The founders, Shelley and Sally, both have Type 1 diabetes and had previously met at an education course at their hospital in Kent. They were keen to help others feel less alone, as they had done, through their friendship.
After attending the training, they set up Circle D, which now has a regular face-to-face meeting (known as the ‘rant room’!) along with periodic social outings and celebrations. Those who live outside Kent have been inspired to set up their own Circle D locally, and many join in on the website and in social media.
The group has received awards and interest from a number of organisations and invites visitors from time to time, including the local MP. More importantly, Circle D offers much needed support and encouragement to young adults with diabetes – and a lot of fun! Which all adds up to feeling less alone in coping with diabetes.
Circle D is an inclusive, friendly group which aims simply to support anyone aged 18-30 living with diabetes. If you need someone who can sympathise exactly with the demands, pressures or even the oddities of having diabetes, this one’s for you. There are lots of ways of being in touch as well as meeting up in person. Sometimes the best advice is from someone who knows what it’s like to be your age with diabetes.
How can it help me with working with diabetes?
Knowing about organisations like Circle D can help you help people in this age group get some reliable peer support. Reading the website can give you a flavour of the kind of activities which appeal to young adults. Most of all, if you don’t have a support group or Circle D near you, perhaps you could contact the organiser (it’s now run by Shelley and her details are on the website) and ask for their help in setting one up? Circle D is only too delighted to spread the word!
Our 3 top reasons to give a try:
1.’Meeting, sharing, comparing’ is a great way to feel supported and more confident about living with diabetes, especially at the young adult stage. This can continue into later life with diabetes, too.
2.Diabetes support is not all hospital based – it can take place in cafés, theme parks and shopping centres!
3.It’s not just for people with Type 1, those with Type 2 can join too!
Any down sides?
It’s a shame there isn’t a Circle D support group everywhere! Can you help with that?
That’s it for now! Hope you like our take on Circle D, and watch out for another ‘Self Health Spotlight’ in June!