February 2015
45
I
n 1999, when Joanna Hotung
found out her then seven-year-
old daughter had diabetes, her
life course changed. First, there
was the immediate problem of living
with the condition. After months of
suffering through the symptoms – her
daughter had become sensitive, skinny
and appeared run down – she had
an answer. But finding out that her
daughter would need up to five daily
injections to control the disease left
Joanna cold. “I freaked out when I first
found out,” she admits.
Her first thought was to hire a
nurse to administer the shots, but she
soon came to feel the new routine
would only feel “normal” if the family
themselves took control. After a few
attempts practising on random objects
like oranges, she gave her daughter
her first shot. Soon, performing the
procedure felt second nature.
But the lack of central support for
the condition bred a new desire in
Joanna. She wanted to help others
who were stranded in the same scared,
wary position she’d been in. And
so, in 2001, along with two medical
professors, she founded Youth Diabetes
Action (YDA), a charity that brings
families living with diabetes together.
This summer, she’ll achieve her ultimate
end goal, when a special-purpose
centre for the 450 members of YDA to
gather, share and learn, gain support,
do research and just play will open.
A dedicated centre couldn’t have
come at a better time. Latest statistics
available to the charity show that
seven new cases of child diabetes are
diagnosed in Hong Kong every month.
Of these, three will be Type 1 diabetes,
an autoimmune disease that inhibits
insulin production and is thought to be
genetic. But four are Type 2 diabetes,
a lifestyle-related condition that
includes lack of exercise and obesity
amongst its known causes. Education is
a vital first step to prevention. “For the
first time, we are seeing more Type 2
diabetes being diagnosed in children,
and this is shocking because there is
absolutely something we can do about
it,” says Joanna.
To learn more about YDA, visit
.
dealing with
diabetes
When her daughter was diagnosed with diabetes,
mum Joanna Hotung jumped into action, writes
Elle Kwan.
