Discover how Rotarian Enzo Craperi's personal experience with Type 1 diabetes spurned a crusade to bring gold-standard diabetic care to local children.

When Townsville Central Rotarian Enzo Craperi's daughter Nicole was four years old, she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes, once known as 'juvenile diabetes', is a condition where the pancreas makes little or no insulin, the hormone that allows sugar (glucose) to enter the body's cells to produce energy. 

"I vividly remember the trauma Nicole went through and that my wife, Kathy, and I went through having to prick her finger between six and eight times a day to check her blood sugar levels," Enzo said.

Fast forward three decades and Enzo and the Rotary Club of Townsville Central are spearheading a campaign to raise funds for insulin pumps (IP), the current gold-standard care for paediatric Type 1 diabetes.

“A diabetes diagnosis has lifelong health implications and learning how to manage it at a young age is so important, which is why the insulin pump is so valuable for children," Enzo said.

"It just lets them be kids again."

One of the recipients of the first pumps was Townsville primary schooler McKayla Bliesner.

McKayla's mum, Renee, said that before the donation of the pump the family's life had been 'turned upside down' trying to manage McKayla's diabetes. 

"It was a heartbreaking and challenging time for us and, especially, for McKayla," Renee said.

"She'd just turned five, had been diagnosed with a lifelong condition and was starting school.

"It became a real family effort to manage her diagnosis with my partner, McKalyla's grandparents, and me all on a roster to visit the school to give her insulin at every meal break.

“I just want to thank Rotary for making this possible for us, it has been so heart-warming and comforting to know that there are people in our community looking out for children diagnosed with diabetes.”

The IP delivers continuous and customised does of rapid-acting insulin 24 hours a day eliminating the need for regular finger-prick tests.

Townsville University Hospital paediatric endocrinologist Dr Jason Yates said 'pump therapy' improved outcomes for children with diabetes and their families.

“Pump therapy can be quite difficult for families to access, largely due to the cost of the technology," he said.

"Being able to take cost out of the equation and improve access to this life-changing technology is so important.

"The pumps can make a huge difference and lead to much better health outcomes and less complications in the long term.

“That’s why Rotary’s efforts to fundraise and purchase these insulin pumps have been so invaluable for families staring down a diabetes diagnosis," Dr Yates said. 

President Brendan Porter said the club's fundraising efforts, a successful RAWCS grant and support from Port of Townsville Rotary, Ross River Rotary, Inner Wheel and the Townsville Hospital Past Nurses Association had enabled the club to buy 14 IPs for local children.

Striking a deal with manufacturer Medtronics, the club can buy the pumps for around $7,000, a discount of 15 per cent.

Clubs interested in supporting the IP project can contact Brendan at brendan.porter@rotary9560.org.

A great initiative from Rotarians of action and passion! 

Enzo, we're sure Nicole is super proud of you!