Shelley: It's not just about the next year, or 5 years, but 55 years from now.

Diabetes certainly is hereditary in our family. My Dad having type 1 since his early teenage years, then me getting it at aged 30, following my pregnancy of my son, and now 15 years later, newly diagnosed 6 months ago, our 8-year-old daughter has it!

Certainly not something I ever thought I'd pass on to one of my kids! Such a lot to manage and think about every single day! My Dad (now 70) has over time lost both his legs and now has terrible circulation and lack of movement in his fingers. He managed as best he knew how over the last 55years. With the knowledge coming through now and amazing technology to assist, I knew I wanted to set my daughter up well for her future, it's not just about the next year, or 5 years even, but thinking about her 55 years from now. So, we are setting her up for success from the beginning! The education, the equipment...she has an Tandem insulin pump and the bluetooth-enabled Dexcom CGM.

With two in our family, we spend a lot of money every month on what's not covered currently, but it’s absolutely something we would not be without. It’s that extra safety of knowing my daughter is safer from a hypo event and we can check in on her app anytime as well as provide more reassurance for her teachers who also help to manage her health and wellbeing on a daily basis at school.

If not for the adults, then funding of CGM must at least be provided for our diabetic children, it's setting them up for the rest of their precious lives.

Kia kaha diabetic whānau.