Diabetes type 1 (young people)

Lewis is 12 years old and lives with Mum, Dad, sister and younger brother. He recently started high school. Ethnic background: English.

Lives with parents and two sisters. He is a full time student and is preparing his GCSE's exams. At university he wants to study medicine.

Identical twin brothers. First year university students, when at home live with mother & stepfather. In 2004 they both completed a World Challenge project spending one month in Kyrgyzstan. Both feel that diabetes is not an obstacle & you can do anything.

Sixth form student; lives with mother & brother. Does not like diabetes described as a chronic illness because 'sometimes you just forget it's there'. Learning to manage his diabetes has meant confidence & a sense of responsibility.

High school student; lives with his parents. His passion is surfing and tries to do it everyday when the waves are good. Mum promised to buy a surf board if he had a good HbA1C result and he did!

Full time student; lives with parents. He is a keen sports person and plans to do medicine at university.

Full-time student; lives with parents and three siblings; has a girlfriend. Says that his parents do "nag" him but he knows it is for his own good. All his friends know what to do if he has a hypo.

Lives with parents and siblings; he is a first year A level student. Says that when he was experiencing problems with controlling his diabetes he talked to his father and that his entire family have been very supportive.

He finished secondary school last year and plans to go to university to study mathematics in September. At present he is working and lives at home with his parents and an older sister.