LAUNCESTON lad Tyler Claxton is a laid-back, cheeky, football fan.
The 12-year-old has taken his fair amount of hits on the football field and may have even shed a tear watching his beloved Western Bulldogs lose a match or two.
But Tyler’s life took a bigger knock in January when he was diagnosed with type-1 diabetes.
His mother, Tracey Claxton, said Tyler’s diagnoses came as a shock to the family.
“He lost an incredible 14 kilograms in a matter of two weeks,” Mrs Claxton said.
“I had an uncle who had diabetes but he died young, so we didn’t know too much about it or expect this to happen to Tyler.”
She raced her son to the Launceston General Hospital where his blood glucose levels were measured at 28, more than 20 above average.
“He was almost in a coma,” she said.
“It was fairly scary, but the hospital worked really quick to get him well again.”
Tyler was hospitalised for five days, taking insulin through a drip before learning to inject himself.
“It was pretty weird at first and I didn’t like it much, but you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do,” Tyler said.
The family, together with the pharmacy department at the Launceston General Hospital, will host a trivia night to raise money for juvenile diabetes research on Saturday, September 24.
The trivia night will coincide with Walk to Cure Diabetes on October 30.
Organiser Mel Stone said the night would raise funds to help find of cure for diabetes in young people like Tyler.
“The disease usually arises in childhood but it lasts a lifetime because it destroys the ability to produce insulin, which is vital for life. There is no cure – yet,” she said.
Since his diagnosis, Tyler has returned to Punchbowl Primary School, having to inject insulin five times a day, constantly checking his blood glucose levels and watching what he eats.
But the positive pupil said although diabetes had restricted him from snacking on chocolate, it had not stopped him from participating in his real love – football.
“I can still play footy, which is the main thing, I just have to be aware of how I am feeling,” he said.
“It’s pretty hard and I get over it sometimes, but you go to do it.”
