Calling all 10 to 16 year olds with diabetes from Birmingham – wee need you!

Help Diabetes UK prevent heart and kidney disease among people with the condition

diabetesDiabetes UK is calling on children and teenagers with Type 1 diabetes from around Birmingham to help with research which could prevent diabetes-related heart and kidney disease.

The leading health charity is asking parents of 10 to 16 year olds with Type 1 diabetes from Birmingham to register their children by emailing the Nephropathy Family Study lead nurse, Rebecca Morgan ([email protected]). They will then be asked to send in urine samples to be used in research. Using the collection of samples, new studies hope to improve prevention of heart and kidney problems among young people with diabetes.

The research, being led by investigators from Cambridge University and supported by Diabetes UK, will also ask many participants to join another study looking at the effects of two medicines, currently used in adults to lower blood pressure and blood fats, which could prevent future risk of other complications in diabetes including stroke, amputation and blindness.

Lead researcher Professor David Dunger said: “We need to sign up another 500 young people in the UK before Christmas. Please help us put together another piece of the jigsaw in our understanding of Type 1 diabetes.”

Peter Shorrick, Diabetes UK Regional Manager for the Midlands, said: “This is a great opportunity for people with Type 1 diabetes to play their part in crucial research which will help us combat the complications of diabetes and improve the lives of people living with the condition in the UK, and the rest of the world.”

To register to take part in the study, parents are asked to email the Nephropathy Family Study nurse in Birmingham, Rebecca Morgan – [email protected]