Add What You Can with Cure Kids and Briscoe Group
Cure Kids is New Zealand's leading child health research charity. Their vision is a healthy childhood for everyone.
Briscoe Group has joined forces with Cure Kids to help fund better treatments and cures for Kiwi kids through its 'Add
What You Can' campaign.
Stores throughout the country will be asking customers for donations, holding quiz nights, fun runs, raffles and auctions, and raising funds. Find out more here
With the help of its wonderful customers, Briscoe group has raised nearly $5 million for Cure Kids. Every single dollar counts, so make a difference today and 'Add What You Can' to help fund vital medical research to improve health outcomes for our kids.
Meet Sophie
Cure Kids incredible ambassador Sophie was flagged by her GP at about 21 months for not growing as expected. Her family spent months reviewing her weight and attempting to ensure her diet was high in calories to help her gain weight. She had made some progress so it was decided there was nothing too serious happening.
Sophie was still unwell and very tired all the time, so more tests were done. A urine test showed glucose, and a subsequent finger prick blood test showed elevated blood glucose. Sophie was sent straight to Christchurch Hospital Child Acute Assessment.
Sophie was diagnosed with type-1 diabetes, which came as a huge shock to her family.
Her mum Jenny says it was a real learning curve being taught how to manager diabetes in two days. Sophie took it all so well – going from a girl who cried every time the nurses took her blood sugars to a girl who happily picked a toe to prick.
In April 2016, Sophie was put on an insulin pump which has been another big learning curve, but it has been a good move and provides more flexibility with her eating.
There has been a lot of tough times in the last year, Jenny says; "Diabetes can often be an invisible illness – people don't always understand it either which is so hard. People hear diabetes and think oh she ate too much sugar – now when your child is 3 years old (2 years old at diagnosis) it is hard not be highly sensitive and offended by this because essentially they are assuming you as the parent fed your baby too much sugary treats. That somehow her illness is self-inflicted and therefore deserved. I will try and educate as many as I can so as Sophie grows up those around her understand her condition."
About Cure Kids
Cure Kids are the only charity in New Zealand that funds research across a broad spectrum of child health. They have funded, or are currently funding, research investigating better treatments and cures for inherited heart conditions, cystic fibrosis, childhood cancers, stillbirth, burns, and child and adolescent mental health, among many others.