Seven-year-old joins research "to help people learn about diabetes"
Research participant, Ali was only seven years old when he was diagnosed with diabetes after experiencing frequent bed-wetting and weight loss. He soon joined a research trial which aims to better understand glucose measurements in people with diabetes using a novel technology. He first heard about the study at an appointment with the diabetes team at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, which hosts the Patient Recruitment Centre: Leicester.
When asked why he decided to join the trial, Ali said: “I want to help people learn about diabetes, and hopefully we can find out a way to cure diabetes. If people take part in research, then they'll help other people.”
Emily Badham, Children’s Research Nurse for PRC: Leicester, said; “This study has been my first diabetic research trial and I have really enjoyed getting to know the participants and their families. As participants are required to visit every two weeks for six months, we get to build a great relationship and I have more of an understanding of the condition.”
Pratik Choudhary, Professor of Diabetes and Principal Investigator for the trial, said: “We are really pleased to be part of this trial. As this novel technology becomes part of routine care, it becomes really important in an ethnically diverse city such as ours to understand differences ethnicity may have on the readings the device generates.”
