Congratulations to Year
8 student Gabrielle Reeves who recently flew to Sydney to receive the DANII
Foundation Courage Ambassador Award for diabetes advocacy. Gabbi was diagnosed with
Type 1 diabetes in 2017, the same year she entered high school at St John Fisher
College. Since being diagnosed, she has become a passionate advocate for
diabetes awareness, educating friends, family and the general community about
what is means to live with Type 1 diabetes.
“I
feel happy and proud to have been selected. I was surprised that I was,
as I feel that I am only doing what I should be and nothing out of the ordinary”.
“I am
hoping to work with the Foundation to fundraise and increase awareness in the
community.”
“There
is a lot of information about Type 2 however I have found that not many people
are aware of the differences between them”, says Gabbi.
Gabbi has been working with a Diabetes
Innovation Management organisation called DANII Foundation to campaign for Continuous
Glucose Monitoring System (CGMS) to be subsidised by the Government for anyone
with Diabetes, regardless of age. Currently government subsidy for CGMS stops
when the person turns 21 years.
Gabbi’s Mum, who nominated her for the
awards, has been impressed by her resilience, courage and strength with her diagnosis
coinciding with the start of high school and the challenges that come with that.
