Kicking like the champions at Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Kids Diabetes Football Camp
The sun shone over the German champions' stadium in Leverkusen at the beginning of June with perfect footballing weather. And with the sun shone the faces of 60 boys and girls aged 6 to 14 who had registered for the football camp at the Bayer 04 Leverkusen sports centre.
Not only the children were excited, but also the parents, who didn't know exactly what would happen and whether their loved ones' glucose levels would remain safely under control. Sport and diabetes is not an easy combination and everyone reacts to exercise individually. Meanwhile, the fence to the training area closed and the parents could only watch the colourful goings-on from a distance.
Fun for the children...
First of all, there were original Leverkusen jerseys for the players. Then the kids were divided into five groups according to age and ability. Each group included a trainer from the Bayer 04 Leverkusen football school and a diabetes counsellor, who kept an eye on her charges' glucose levels and devices throughout the training session. The diabetes team took care of things, repeatedly taking individual players off the pitch for a hypo break or, where necessary, arranging for ketones to be measured. The players kicked, sweated and laughed until lunchtime. Then the Ypsomed team checked and adjusted the diabetes once again before the meal.
... Information for the parents
While the kids stormed onto the pitch for the second training session, parents were given a talk on diabetes and sport by Dr Thekla von dem Berge, paediatrician and diabetes specialist at the Children's Hospital auf der Bult in Hanover, and Janine Gerken, diabetes consultant at the Altona Children's Hospital in Hamburg. Despite around 100 parents attending, it was completely silent in the association's press lounge. There was practical information about sport and a lively discussion that went beyond football, especially about diabetes at night: initially after sport and also with a view to later, when alcohol, late-night eating and dancing become part of young people's lives.
A joint tour of the stadium rounded off the day. The participants all agreed that there is a lot to consider when it comes to type 1 diabetes and sport, but it is possible to learn and be helped by a good therapy management system. Everyone went home tired, satisfied and full of the day's events. One urgent wish was expressed several times: more such motivating football camps for children with diabetes!