CWD Friends For Life 2012: Hope and Onesies

In 1995 an inspirational man named Jeff Hitchcock, the father of a little girl who had a disease called type 1 diabetes, decided he would use this quirky new thing called 'the Internet' (which he claimed would be a 'big thing') to create a website where parents of, and children with, the condition could talk to one another and find friendship and support.  It quickly caught on and before long became an institution to its already devoted members and growing number of people looking for just what Children With Diabetes could offer; unity.

Five years on in the year 2000, a lady named Laura Billetdeaux, herself a member of CWD and parent to a young boy with T1, posted a simple message that she was heading to Florida and should anyone wish to meet her there, she would be waiting.  Laura is a person with whom you immediately feel at ease.  She is confident, and warm.  On that fateful day 500 people felt the same way and descended upon Florida where the annual Children with Diabetes event, was born.

Almost two decades on the CWD conference, now dubbed 'Friends for Life', draws hundreds of families from across the United States on a yearly basis. For parents it is a place of companionship, learning and support. For the children, it is an opportunity to let down their hair, rekindle old friendships and have fun just being a kid. All food on offer is carb-counted, green arm-bands show membership to the club and hypo stations dot the halls, making it the safest place in the world.

Four years ago CWD came to the UK and this, was my first year. 

The buzz on Friday night was electric as hundreds of people excitedly arrived at the Beaumont Estate hotel in Windsor.  Which room you were in or what the hotel was like was secondary, this was a time for finding old friends.  And making new ones.  As the sea of enthusiastic people ebbed and flowed through hallways, the atmosphere was thick with excitement. 

The sponsors Animas, Medtronic, Cellnovo and Accu-Chek were out in force with balloon magicians (most awesome CV title ever!), face-painting, cuddly toys and an X-Box Kinnect to keep the kids suitably pumped (no pun intended!).

People, having a ridiculously wonderful time!

Olly Double, everyone's favourite comedian and T1 parent, whom I had the pleasure of meeting at the Spring Wellness day a year ago, opened the floor on Friday with a his brilliant stand up - including an audience-priming version of H-Y-P-O (to the tune of YMCA). Any opportunity to look at the brighter side of diabetes (yes, there really is one) is a welcome event.  Then it was drinks in the bar and off to bed.

Saturday began with an inspirational talk by DiabetesDad  Tom Karlya which kicked off the day at 9am.  By 9.13am, the first tears rolled down my cheek as he told the story of his daughter's diagnosis when  - in his words - she had IVs in both arms and was asking him to 'fix'. He told us with conviction that diabetes 'just won't do' and asked us to take responsibility for looking out for each other.  As the parent of not one but two T1 kids, he told us with the most admirable honesty about the mistakes he had made over his years (right there with ya, Mr K).  Between the laughter (he tells one hell of a good story) and the tears, there wasn't a dry eye in the house by the end.  

The weekend progressed with talks about advocacy, balancing food, exercise and sick days along with a host of other sessions packed with information to help build an arsenal of weapons with which to take diabetes on. We were taught how to avoid spikes after meals by all-round dude Gary Scheiner and how to negotiate family life with diabetes by the most 'New York' New Yorker you'll ever meet, Joe Solo. InPuT presented our own talk on how to get the best pump support (with my own section on Managing Expectations and how to avoid Competitive Parenting).  But for me the session which stood out above all others was one in which two psychologists, Jill Weissberg-Benchell and Korey Hood, led a group talk on Avoiding Burnout. Guaranteed to be a highly-emotional session by virtue of the subject matter, when the first person spoke with their voice already cracking I knew this would be nothing, if not a session to connect us.  For a precious hour we shared stories, offered hope and connected with people    who 'get it'.   Finally, Lesley Jordan profoundly said, "My purpose of being on this planet, is to do more than get a perfect HbA1c."  The room agreed and for just a moment had not a single word to add.

Learning from each other how to avoid burnout

As Sunday came to a close and the final talk, jam-packed with hope, was given by Jeff Hitchcock himself, I couldn't remember the last time I had cried so freely, re-charged so quickly and connected so deeply.  People you had never met before, and might never again, took the time to smile and be your friend.  The kids and young people, in the wonderfully inexplicable way only kids can, launched a mini-craze within the world we had created of wearings onesies 24 hours a day.  And as I basked in the glow of the event and looked on as the last of the revellers peeled away, emptying the fridge of the hotel's remaining complementary Diet Coke as they went, I knew, this weekend would not be forgotten.

This will not be my last Friends for Life.

The Input team, confusing the 'Madness' dance with the one from Blues Brothers, at the Roche 'disco'!