Research: why does it matter? The Endia study

By helwild | October 16, 2014 |

As the parent of someone with Type 1 diabetes, it can seem that the only organisation in the world doing research into diabetes is the International Charity, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, or as it is more usually known nowadays, the JDRF. For many years, I have ‘walked for the cure’ hoping that one day it would happen. And of course many people connected by Type 1 diabetes, all over the world, are supporting JDRF, working, hoping for the day ‘the cure’ will come.

However, it is good to know that there are many other wonderful organisations undertaking vital research to assist people managing Living with diabetes, and researching possible ‘triggers’, causes, and even treatments, including some that are based right here in Australia.

One of these is a very interesting Australian study known as ENDIA, or “environmental determinants of islet autoimmunity”

We have posted information about this wonderful Australian Study before, but we have many new members who may be unaware of it. One of our Facebook Closed Group ‘Pregnancy and Parenting’ members has asked if we can ‘share’ the links here, hoping to get some more people to commit to the study. Note it is Australia only.

“Hello Helen, I am a member of one of your diabetes closed groups on FB. I have a son who is T1 and has been so since he was 18 months old (he is now 9). Here is a link about the ENDIA study that is being conducted around Australia. We are part of this study and it is about Type 1 diabetes in children. For example, studying what the ‘trigger’ could be for the onset of T1; studying using cord blood to prevent or delay the onset of T1; and studying whether cord blood can be used in assisting T1 children to ‘kick start’ the pancreas. One positive is that being part of this study the storage of cord blood is very cheap. Here is the link, and I hope you do post it, thank you so much”

Thanks to our group member for her story.

Helen

Helen Wilde

Senior Counsellor

Helen has been the parent of someone with diabetes since 1979. She has lived with Type 2 diabetes herself since 2001, and has been a Counsellor with the service since 2002.

www.endia.org.au/about/the-endia-study
The ENDIA study | ENDIA
www.endia.org.au
We are asking women who are pregnant and have Type 1 Diabetes themselves or have a family member with Type 1 Diabetes who would be a first-degree relative of the baby, i.e. the baby’s father or the baby’s older sibling, to consider participating.
The ENDIA study | ENDIAendia.org.auThere is also a Facebook group which you may like to visit, here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/endiastudy?fref=ts

The ENDIA study | ENDIA