60 children with diabetes from all over Spain showed that diabetes is not an obstacle to sport and enjoyed the CUP Diabetes Football Tournament that has been held in Las Rozas (Madrid).
"The competition helps children and their families lose their fears and see sport as a fundamental part of the treatment," said Lilly Diabetes organization in a statement.
A total of 60 minors with type 1 diabetes, selected from all over Spain and aged between 8 and 13 years, have had the opportunity to go to the championship, together with their families, in an environment controlled by doctors and educational nurses in educating nurses indiabetes.
“I really wanted to participate and show that children with diabetes can also do sports.It has been a very cool experience and, in addition, my team, the Eagles, we have won the championship! ”
With these words, Paul explained his experience in CUP diabetes, one of the participants who has played the football tournament throughout the weekend in Madrid, and with diabetes since the age of 2.
Compeating is only the excuse
Sport is a pillar in the treatment of diabetes.However, patients and relatives can see it as a barrier.The tournament, organized by Lilly, seeks to turn this situation around.
“Competing is just the excuse.What really matters is to help children and their families lose their fears and make them see that diabetes is not an obstacle to sport, ”said Teresa Millán, director of Corporate Affairs of Lilly Spain.
Rosa Yelmo, a diabetes educator, explained that “many times, the sport faces with fear because the proper formation has not been received.There is a lot of fear of hypoglycemia, especially night hypoglycemia. ”
“Simply, what you have to know is to do it in adequate conditions, to leave with appropriate glycemia, monitor it before, during and after and then adjust the insulins of the night to avoid that risk, since the effect of the exercise we see it many times toSubsequent hours such as 12 or 16 hours later, according to intensity and duration, ”he added.
residence in Las Rozas
Although diabetes is the second most prevalent disease in pediatrics, there is great ignorance among society."This leads that children can be limited and shame to prick in public," said the educator.
"Normalizing the disease and demonstrating that children with diabetes can overcome everything is important so that these children can lead a completely normal life," Rosa concluded.
The small athletes stayed during the two days that the competition has lasted in the residence of soccer players of the City of Las Rozas, in the same rooms as their idols of 'La Roja' in its prior concentration to the World Cup, which is currentlyDispute in Russia.
Experience served to favor the coexistence of families with diabetes from different cities in Spain.At present, about 10,000 children under 15 have diabetes in our country, a figure that increases every year with about 1,200 new diagnoses.
“In this tournament, children with diabetes are not different or special.They are like others.It is a unique opportunity for them and also for parents, that we can exchange experiences and learn from what has lived by other families, ”said Mertxe Moralejo, mother to Alain, participant of the football tournament.
