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Teen Panel
Danielle
Danielle is 18. She left school last summer and has just got her first job in a bank. She was first diagnosed as having diabetes when she was 7 and thinks it was probably worse for her mum and dad than it was for her. She was fortunate to have a teacher at primary school who knew something about living with diabetes. Her teacher would write a little note in her exercise book, just underneath her work to say "Writing is a little shaky. Danielle was low today". It helped to be understood.
David
David is 17 and studying at 6th form college. He was initially diagnosed when he was 8 and was concerned that it would stop him playing sport. But now he knows he has his diabetes very well controlled, David does not let it infringe on his active lifestyle and continues to play physical sports like cricket and rugby. He plans to go on to University to study law.
Emma
Emma left school in 2003. She is now 17 and has her first job in a warehouse. She finds that many of her new workmates are really interested to find out more about diabetes and how Emma manages it. She was first diagnosed as having diabetes when she was just 4 years old, and remembers thinking, "Why have I got it, when my brother and sister haven't?" Eventually it stopped mattering and now having diabetes is just part of her life.
Andrew
Andrew is 13 years old and goes to secondary school. He was first diagnosed two years ago, shortly before he left primary school. Andrew has met lots of different people at secondary school, but all his new friends know that he has diabetes. When Andrew leaves school, he intends to go on to University. He wants to become either a vet or a doctor.