Uddingston family talk about the struggles of a child dealing with diabetes

Since his diagnosis, the mother from Uddingston and her family have been determined to do whatever they can to raise awareness of the illness.

On August 8, Zach’s uncle Jordan Steel, will be raising money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) by attempting a 100 mile run over 24 hours.

Today, Zach’s mother and uncle will discuss the charity run and talk about the early signs of Type 1 diabetes to help other families recognise the symptoms of this life-threatening condition.

“When you have a child, you imagine your life ahead, you imagine what they will become, and you visualise your life alongside them. A Type 1 diagnosis throws that process into disarray,” Rachel, 36, says.

When she first heard the news of her son’s illness, she realised that his future can still happen, but not in the way that she imagined. Zach can’t go on risky adventures or be too carefree because his condition won’t allow it. When it’s 2 am and he doesn’t want a needle plunged into his leg, he doesn’t have a choice because quitting is not an option.

“Zach went from being a normal four-year-old running around into a life of multiple blood tests, having to be injected with insulin five times a day, and constant monitoring of his exercise and diet. It felt like a bereavement for the family when he was first diagnosed because you feel like you have lost the child you had. And you need to get your head around a new way of living. We wanted to take everything away from Zach, but instead, we had to be strong. We still have days that our hearts feel heavy when certain situations and challenges present themselves,” she says.

As Zach’s uncle Jordan, 38, and his father Gary Steel, 36, prepare to take on the challenge of a lifetime by completing a 100-mile run in 24 hours from Fort William to Glasgow. They do so with a heartening determination to finish the run, no matter the cost. But make no mistake, it’s not an easy feat.

After completing a 100-mile walk for the Amy Winehouse Foundation last year to raise money for mental health and addiction, Jordan knows the task ahead requires dedication, focus, planning, and rigid training.

“When we did the charity walk last year, the event went amazing, but you have to consider the different types of exercise and nutrition you need to achieve to run 100 miles over 24 hours.

“We have to take the weather into account because we don’t know what weather we will get in case any injuries happen. So, my partner, Debbie, will manage the camp. When we get to a stop, we need the right amount of food straight away, clothes laid out, and we need to make everything go smoothly, so the turnaround at each stop is as fast as possible. There will be four major stops, but the cars will be on the road, with constant contact, so if anything goes wrong, they will be there,” he says.

Rachel says the most important thing she and her family can do is continue raising awareness of this often misdiagnosed condition. And support charities such as JDRF to fund world-class research focused on curing, treating and preventing Type 1 diabetes in children and young people.

“The charity is so important to us. All the help they provided us was life-changing. If the JDRF didn’t exist, we would have struggled more. They gave Zach a teddy bear with areas he injects onto to teach him how to do insulin injections. They have also given us a censor he wears on his arm to tell him his blood sugar levels. We are so grateful for the help they have provided us. It’s progress like that that gives us little glimmers of hope,” she says.

Rachel hopes that speaking out will help other families identify the early symptoms of Type 1 diabetes, which is critical in preventing the life-threatening condition of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) from developing that arises from a severe lack of Insulin in the body.

“People need to know the key signs to look out for. A lot of children can go on to have comas and be sick with it before they realise something is wrong,” she says. One of the early symptoms that raised a red flag was when her son was constantly thirsty, and he began to lose weight. What she initially thought was a viral infection, she soon discovered was diabetes after the doctor took a blood sample.

“Type 1 is a relentless condition, and you need to manage it correctly; problems can arise, such as blindness, kidney disease, heart attack and stroke. You have to teach your child to be stronger and independent much earlier than other children,” she says.

Since his diagnosis, Zach has shown bravery and courage in the face of this debilitating condition. And when Rachel imagines her life ahead with her son now, she sees a strong, confident and independent boy who lives beyond his fears. His thirst for life and adventurous spirit have inspired the adults around him. And as his uncle and father prepare to take on the challenge of their lifetime by running 100 miles over 24 hours, they do so with the same steely determination and fighting spirit Zach has shown them. “Because if there is one thing my nephew has taught me,” says Jordan. “It’s that when the time comes to do the run, quitting is not an option.”