Once upon a time in the whimsy land of Sweetfire Vale, there lived a dragon named Derek. Derek had a chronic condition called Type 1 Diabetes, which meant he had to carefully manage his blood sugar levels. In an exciting shopping adventure last week he met another dragon with diabetes, Ember the sticker shop owner, but he longed to meet diabetic dragons his own age.
One warm day in the summer holidays, as Derek swirled around in the cotton candy clouds, he noticed something going on in the field below. His curiosity got the better of him, so he swooped down to have a closer look. There, to his surprise, he discovered a group of dragons playing an exciting game of football. As he watched he noticed something rather remarkable: each of the dragons were wearing a Dexcom or CGM just like his!
Intrigued, Derek approached the dragons with his Dexcom in full view, and soon discovered that each of them had Type 1 Diabetes, just like him! They excitedly welcomed him into their close-knit group, explaining that they formed a team called "Firebetes United", also known as the diabetic dragons. Derek had been nervous to play football again since his Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis, and his new friends assured him they would be there to look out for him.
“Look at all these hypo treatments Derek”, said Ash, the Firebetes United team captain. “You might need to adjust your insulin settings a bit for sport, but with close monitoring you will be fine. We are here to help. I tend to go high when I play sport and Razor (the goalkeeper) tends to go low. It’s amazing how we are all different!”.
They lined up on the field and, with their CGMs and pumps fixed to their scales, ready to show Derek the magic of teamwork. Derek felt nervous as he approached the pitch for kick off, but he couldn’t help feeling joyful as he realized he was not alone in his journey. He could share his fears, triumphs, and the daily ups and downs of living with diabetes with others who truly understood.
With every pass, every tackle, and every goal, Derek felt a powerful bond growing among the diabetic dragons. Every time a Dexcom alarm went off, every dragon on the pitch checked their blood sugar levels not knowing if it was their own. Derek’s levels started to dip low, so he took a little break and drank some fizzy watermelon flavoured Dragonade before returning to the pitch.
At fulltime, they gathered around, sharing stories of their experiences with diabetes. They discussed their fears, frustrations, and the moments of triumph over adversity. Derek realized that their shared struggles had made them not only strong but also incredibly resilient. They had transformed his perspective on living with diabetes, showing him that he could achieve anything he set his mind to.
With grateful hearts, the dragons bid farewell, knowing that their bond would remain unbreakable. They promised to meet again soon for another game and to support one another through the challenges that lay ahead.
“Watch your blood sugar levels for the rest of the day and night Derek” Ash shouted as he waved goodbye, “they may dip lower than usual following exercise”.
Ash was right about Derek’s levels, so as Derek enjoyed a hot cocoa (with double marshmallow) before bed he thought about his day. A wave of belonging filled his heart. He knew that he had found his place in Firebetes United, a team united not just by a shared condition, but by their unwavering spirit, courage, and the power of friendship.