Toowoomba diabetes patients are neglecting their care plans

Toowoomba teen, Thomas Peters is about to receive a life changing device which will make battling Type 1 diabetes much smoother sailing.

THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT: Diabetic patient Cassie Peters chats to pharmacist Boyd Busiko about options for her diabetic son Thomas Peters who is showing off one of his favourite diabetic apps, mySugr. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Life is about to change for 13-year-old Thomas Peters today when he receives an incredible new device that will allow him to be like any other teen.

Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes 15 months ago, Thomas and his family have been navigating the world of diabetes as a team ever since, with his mother Cassie his biggest supporter.

Diabetic patients mum Cassie Peters and son Thomas Peters with the mySugr app. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“I was also diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes 26 years ago, so I know what Thomas is going through to some degree, but thankfully now there are so many great new apps and devices that make managing the condition so much easier,” she said.

“We first noticed Thomas may have had diabetes when he started having to go to the bathroom really frequently through the night; at one point he was going to the toilet several times in a 40 minute period.”

Diabetic patient Cassie Peters has her sugar levels checked by pharmacist Boyd Busiko at Busiko's Pharmacy Toowoomba. Picture: Kevin Farmer

The pharmacy assistant said diabetes ran in her family’s genes with her father becoming a double amputee below both knees after a childhood spent mismanaging the condition.

“Back then they didn’t know much about diabetes and how important it was to stay on top of it early in life,” Ms Peters said.

“Now, thanks to a number of apps including mySugr and devices like Thomas’ new special insulin pump which we are receiving on loan thanks to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Thomas will have a much better life than people like my father who were diagnosed with diabetes several decades ago.”

Research from Roche Diabetes Care has shown that simply replacing manual logbooks and switching to a digital health tool such as the mySugr app and can improve glycaemic control and better personalise treatment, keeping people healthier for longer.

Diabetic patient Cassie Peters chats to pharmacist Boyd Busiko about options for her diabetic son Thomas Peters at Busiko's Pharmacy Toowoomba. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Currently, approximately 600,000 Australians diagnosed with diabetes are not staying within a healthy glucose range, increasing their risk of diabetes related illnesses and complications such as vision loss, increased risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

In the Toowoomba area, 6.2 per cent of the population are living with diabetes, significantly higher than the national average.

Owner of Busiko’s Guardian Pharmacy where Ms Peters works, Boyd Busiko said there were about 10,000 people living with diabetes in Toowoomba and estimated up to 80 per cent of patients were not managing their condition properly.

“Far too many people are letting their diabetes care plan go by the wayside which can have serious health implications,” he said.

“Your local pharmacy is a great support network to have when it comes to managing your diabetes, so make sure you access them regularly.”