When Oscar’s brother was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) at age 5, he learnt that this life-long condition was relentless. All he wanted was for his brother to live a normal, healthy life. So Oscar decided he wanted to help make that happen by studying a Bachelor’s Degree in Biomedical Science at Notre Dame University.
We spoke to Oscar and asked him to share his story about the challenges he faces when trying to support his brother, joining the Centre as a student and what T1D research means to him, his brother and his family.
1. You’ve just started as a student with the RTCDC – what projects are you working on?
I’ve been working on making the Patient Assisted Travel Scheme form into an online survey for caregivers to complete instead of the paper copy. I’m excited to start a new project looking at the intersection of diabetic retinopathy and type 1 diabetes in the coming weeks.
2. What are you studying? And why did you choose that study and why have you chosen T1D research?
I’m currently studying a Bachelor’s Degree in Biomedical Science at Notre Dame University. I’ve always been curious about the intricacies of the human body and have a heartfelt dedication to enabling children to achieve their best lives despite any obstacles. My interest in Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) research comes from a very personal place – my younger brother was diagnosed with T1D, and seeing what he goes through every day inspired me to be a part of the effort to make life easier for people with T1D and their families. I’m excited about the potential to make a real difference through my work.
3. You said your younger brother has T1D, when was he diagnosed? and has that influenced your career choice?
Hugo was diagnosed with T1D in November of 2016 when he was 5 years old. As any good brother would, I’ve always had the intrinsic motivation to help Hugo live a life that is as normal as any other healthy child. His condition has huge effects on his everyday physical and mental wellbeing. It’s not a condition you can ignore, but I’d love nothing more than for him to be able to forget he even has it in the future.
4. As a sibling of someone living with T1D, what challenges do you have when trying to support your brother? What do you wish you could make easier?
You can never have a day off with type 1 diabetes. There are no sick days or annual leave; the condition requires attention 365 days a year. I would love for him to be able to forget about his condition and for it to be a memory of the past, or at least for him to have less time concentrated on it per day. They say that a Type 1 Diabetic makes up to 180 more decisions per day managing their condition, and it would be a huge relief to minimise that.
5. What does T1D research mean for you and your family?
T1D has almost the same impact on the primary care giver as it does the child. Initially. For the first few years after Hugo’s diagnosis, his treatment involved pin pricks and insulin pens multiple times a day. Now, he has a continuous glucose monitor and pump that work on a closed loop system. This has allowed my parents to sleep more, worry less and most importantly, leave Hugo to be more independent and develop without any disruptions. It is the continuous effort that means so much to my family. Working on getting as close as possible to complete congruence between a type 1 diabetic's life and a healthy individual’s life.
6. What T1D research breakthroughs would you like to see in the next 10 years?
With the unstoppable advancements in technology, I wouldn’t be surprised if type 1 diabetes is managed by a completely internalised closed-loop system that uses glucagon and insulin to keep the body at constant homeostasis. I know how hard it is to reverse a destroyed pancreas, but I don’t see why an implantable device like this would be impossible. Given the increasing rates of T1D, I would love to see a preventable drug that saves the beta cells from the autoimmune response and the integration of autoantibody tests into general health checkups so we can actively work towards a society free of type 1 diabetes.
