A WEYMOUTH man who was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes 35 years ago is hoping his story will help improve care planning in Dorset.

Up until four years ago, Tim Freeborn had received no formal diabetes education and struggled to control his blood sugar.

He was diagnosed by his wife, Shona, a nurse, on return from an overseas military detachment.

During Diabetes Week people came together to raise awareness of the condition which affects more than 38,000 of people in Dorset.

Tim said: "Managing your diabetes can be exceedingly demanding, requiring you to think about every bite of food you eat and the impact any exercise takes on your blood glucose levels, in terms of how much it will affect them, how quickly and how long for.

"It’s really not easy, especially when you are first diagnosed when it can all feel quite complex and overwhelming.

"So it made all the difference to me when I got the support I needed to help me manage my diabetes, giving me more time to get on with living my life to the full."

Following a diabetes education course Tim was able to control his blood sugar better and become more in control of his diabetes.

Eight months ago he was put on an insulin pump which has improved his care and he has recently taken up cycling to improve his fitness.

Tim said: "The West Dorset Diabetes UK local group have recently conducted a survey into care in Dorset.

"We want to help improve care planning in Dorset.

"The survey showed that only twenty four percent of people were certain they had a care plan - of those only seven per cent had a copy of it and only fifteen per cent had agreed targets."

Claire Gordon, regional manager at Diabetes UK South West said: "Most diabetes management is left down to the individual, in the form of self-management, and there is strong evidence that equipped with the knowledge and skills to manage their condition effectively, people with diabetes can improve their quality of life and reduce their risk of developing complications.

"If people with diabetes are informed and involved in their own care then they tend to manage their condition better.

"This is an area we are calling on the CCG to work at improving because we believe it will make a significant difference in the lives of people with Diabetes.

For more information visit west-dorset.diabetesukgroup.org/

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