ALTHOUGH Maria Evelyn Estrera and her husband could barely make ends meet, the smiles of their three children were enough to illuminate their little house in Barangay Quiot Pardo, Cebu City.
The kids, especially middle child John Paul, were cheerful and always coaxed the brightest smiles on the tired faces of their mother, a housewife, and their father, a welder.
But all this changed when John Paul was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at only seven years old. He is now 11.
Evelyn remembered how everything went downhill as soon as they heard the doctor confirm her suspicions.
The insatiable thirst, uncontrollable peeing, bottomless appetite, and drastic weight loss seemed to make sense to her as she remembered her grandparents who were diabetic patients.
“Our son was no longer his usual happy self. He sometimes lashed out at us for nothing and was just generally temperamental,” Evelyn said in Cebuano.
The same depressive episodes were experienced by Herlina Amba’s daughter.
Jade, an 18-year-old student, was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes last year.
Like John Paul, Jade inherited the disease from her mother’s side of the family.
“She is our eldest and was always in a good mood. But after finding out, she lost her motivation and became dull,” Herlinda said.
But because of their respective family’s encouragement and support, John Paul and Jade were able to regain their confidence.
The two were among the 28 participants of a camp for diabetic patients organized by Sweet Alert Society in partnership with Insulin for Life.
Launched in the late 90s, Dr. Marian Denopol said she and her batchmates from Saint Theresa’s College decided to promote an advocacy that will raise awareness about diabetes.
Denopol, Sweet Alert vice president, said diabetes is close to her heart since she, too, has it.
“It’s a family affair, because it not only affects the patient. Other patients fall into depression, but remember that the sun still shines for diabetes,” she said.
Armi Garcia, Philippine Honorary Consul to Russia and Sweet Alert president, said the country is now facing a “state of emergency” with people having an unhealthy lifestyle.
Aside from spending more time online rather than exercising, improper nutrition makes people, especially the youth, more prone to diabetes.
“By going to several places outside Cebu City, we were able to save lives because not a lot of people know about diabetes. Through our camp, we hope that patients will see that they are not alone in this predicament,” Garcia said.
Garcia added that they are encouraging partnerships with corporations in educating the public about diabetes as their corporate social responsibility.
Neil Donelan of Insulin for Life urged families to have their blood sugar levels checked regularly as a first step in bringing awareness.
A humanitarian organization established in Australia 20 years ago, Insulin for Life gives free insulin to developing countries around the world.
“We want to save lives irrespective of culture, religion, political views by giving free insulin to anybody. The idea is to educate the family,” Donelan said.