Ballarat families are calling on the federal government to fund research that could help prevent hundreds of children from being diagnosed with type one diabetes.
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More than 50 families from the Ballarat and Geelong regions are participating in a world-first type one diabetes study that needs more funding to continue.
The call for the federal government to fund the study comes after an Australian Labor Party promise to invest $50 million in clinical trials and support for type one diabetes researchers on January 13.
Research has been running for five years, but further funding is needed to continue for another five years.
Clunes mum Rhiannan Pitts and Gordon mum Ani Mebalds were both diagnosed with type one diabetes in their 20s.
One of the biggest fears for a mother or a father with type one diabetes is that their child will develop type one diabetes.
- Belinda Moore, diabetes researcher
They are participating in the ENDIA study with their young children to help discover what causes type one diabetes and find ways to prevent it.
Both participated in the JDRF walk in Ballarat in December as part of a campaign to secure funding.
Ms Mebalds said she was initially hesitant to sign her newborn Fredrik up to participate in the ENDIA study with regular blood tests and samples taken, but decided it was important to be a part of the effort to find a cure and prevention.
Fredrik, now one-year-old, has been a part of the study since he was six-months-old.
“Funding for the research would make sure Fedrik can stay a part of the study for longer. The longer the study is alive the longer they can follow the kids and the more data they can get to find some sort of answer,” she said.
READ MORE: 2018 JDRF One Walk for diabetes
Ms Pitts’ children Cora, six months, and Dustin, 18 months are both involved in the ENDIA study.
“I feel very grateful we can be a part of something that is making a change and is making a pathway to a brighter future for diabetes,” she said.
Type one diabetes in children is twice as common as it was 20 years ago in Australia.
Around 120,000 Australians have type one diabetes, a condition that requires regular blood sugar monitoring and insulin injections.
ENDIA study coordiantor Belinda Moore said the aim of the study to follow each child for 10 years depended on securing funding.
“We need to follow them through from pregnancy through to the cut off age,” she said.
“We know a child who is at risk of type one diabetes will often develop the antibodies around toddler age but they don’t necessarily elicit the condition of type one with low blood sugars, frequent peeing and frequent thirst until about nine years of age, which is why we have made the study until 10.
“One of the biggest fears for a mother or a father with type one diabetes is that their child will develop type one diabetes, so the study is very reassuring to them that we are doing everything in our power with research to prevent it. None of us want to see any type one diabetes.”
ENDIA released two research papers on Wednesday presenting findings of elements of the study.