How to thrive with diabetes: 'thriveabetes' conference comes to Laois

The popular conference will be held in Portlaoise.

Reporter:

Hannah Cahill

28 Sept 2024 11:53 AM

Email:

hannah.cahill@leinsterexpress.ie

Organisers of the national 'Thriveabetes' diabetic conference have announced that this year's conference will take place in Laois, and invites all Laois people affected by type 1 diabetes to attend.

The event is due to take place in Midlands Park Hotel, Portlaoise on October 5, the first time in the conference's history that it will take place outside of Dublin.

Thriveabetes is a conference organised completely by volunteers living with or affected by type 1 diabetes, and seeks to inform, motivate, and inspire diabetics.

Event organiser Laura Cooke has lived with diabetes from the age of nine, which inspired her to become involved.

"Thriveabetes is a conference that is very close to my heart, and with the sharp increase in type 1 diabetes, people need to know about this conference," Ms Cooke said.

Pictured: Thriveabetes co-founder Christine Meehan, with conference organiser Laura Cooke.

Originally from Mountmellick, the event organiser also established the Laois Type 1 Diabetes Support Group.

Thriveabetes gives attendees the chance to speak to medical experts in the field, and to speak with other attendees who are going through the same experiences.

The conference hosts a wide range of both international and national speakers, along with pharmaceutical companies that provide the diabetes devices.

"If you're thinking of using an insulin pump or a sensor, the companies are there on the day to speak to," Ms Cooke explained. "There are researchers who present new technology and give interesting talks too."

This year's Thrivabetes keynote speakers include:

Chris Bright, JDRF UK and The Diabetes Football Community- founder of The Diabetes Football Community in 2017, his work has seen him receive the QIC (Quality in Care) UK Diabetes Programme’s People's Award and an Honorary Fellowship with the University of Worcester in the UK.

Dr Rose Stewart, multi-award winning consultant clinical psychologist and acting Diabetes Psychology lead for Wales and the chair of the UK Diabetes Psychology Network. Member of the Council of Healthcare Professionals, Dr Stewart lectures at Swansea and Bangor universities.

The conference was first created by two people living with type 1 diabetes, Gráinne Flynn and Christine Meehan from Clare.

The pair met at a diabetic support group, and noticed the need for a national conference.

Pictured: Thriveabetes conference 2023.

"I became involved with Thriveabetes in 2018 after attending my first conference," Ms Cooke said.

"To take the first step is the biggest thing- once you come to one, you'll come to all of the conferences after."

"A lot of people think that you just take insulin injections and you're good to go, but that's not true at all," Ms Cooke explained.

"There's an awful lot of time, effort and calculations used every day- every time you eat or drink, you have to calculate how much you can have, how much insulin you need, how much activity you will do in the time before and after.

"So many things have to be taken into account," she said.

Ms Cooke established the Laois Diabetes Support Group during the pandemic, and hails it as a huge success.

"We usually meet in the parish centre in Portlaoise, once every month or two," she said.

"We set up a Whatsapp group during Covid, and it was an absolute lifesaver. That group is still going, it has about thirty members. If you ever need a quick answer to a question about your sugars, or if you're stuck for a sensor, you'll get about five different answers with help. It's a really strong group."

"No person should feel isolated or alone while living with this long term condition or any other long term condition," Ms Cooke finished.

Thriveabetes includes an exhibition with many companies that provide diabetes devices to the community. Advanced registration is required to attend.

There will also be a wide variety of breakout session speakers. See the full event programme here.

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How to thrive with diabetes: 'thriveabetes' conference comes to Laois

The popular conference will be held in Portlaoise.

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