Re: Interview with Diabetes UK Chief Exec – submit your questions

Home Forums Living with type one Interview with Diabetes UK Chief Exec – submit your questions Re: Interview with Diabetes UK Chief Exec – submit your questions

#13268
Anonymous
Inactive

Please would the DUK Chief Executive explain why it is acceptable to use the scenario of a child dying in the night for a fund raising appeal but still say:

‘We are very sorry and apologise for any upset or distress that our recent mailing may have caused. We understand this is a very sensitive issue that is of great concern to many parents and children with diabetes.

We understand why this appeal appears to contradict our position on night time hypos in children. However we can confirm that our stance on this subject has not changed.

Although night time hypos can be a frequent occurrence, the risks of a child dying from a night time hypo are small. This is a position which is supported by paediatric diabetes specialists. Due to the small number of cases, we do not highlight this issue in our healthcare information or other communication channels with our supporters in order not to cause unnecessary distress. We believe this subject is best discussed with your healthcare professional on a one to one basis or with the Diabetes UK Careline where our trained counsellors can offer appropriate advice.’

We apologise for causing any distress by using this message as a fundraising tool and we will revisit how we approach this sensitive subject in the future.

It may not be a pleasant truth but surely parents have the right to know that facts about nocturnal hypos and surely it is your job as “The Charity for people with Diabetes’ to provide accurate information.

I applaud your attempts to get the message out that diabetes is a very serious condition but to then back track on your fb page is not acceptable and makes your begging letters seem rather tainted