About the Program
The Program
The International Diabetes Federation "Life for a Child" Program was established in 2001 with support from Diabetes Australia - NSW and HOPE worldwide. It is an innovative and sustainable support programme in which individuals and families participate to help children with diabetes in developing countries.
The formula is simple. Participants in 'Life for a Child' offer assistance to the most needy children at supported diabetes centres. The contributions enable the children to receive the clinical care and diabetes education they need to stay alive. The centres provide thorough clinical and financial feedback.
The goals of the Program are to provide:
- Sufficient insulin and syringes
- Blood glucose monitoring facilities
- Appropriate clinical care
- HbA1c testing
- Diabetes education
- Technical support for health professionals (if requested)
- Some centres need support for all these areas, others need support for some components.
The IDF "Life for a Child" Program is now supporting close to 1100 children with diabetes in 18 countries:
- Azerbaijan
- Bolivia
- The Democratic Republic of Congo
- Ecuador
- Fiji
- India
- Mali
- Nepal
- Nigeria
- Papua New Guinea
- The Philippines
- Rwanda
- Solomon Islands
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- The United Republic of Tanzania
- Uzbekistan
- Zimbabwe
IDF child sponsorship: life for a child with diabetes (article published in Vol 48 Issue 4 of Diabetes Voice, the magazine of the International Diabetes Federation).