Without the diagnosis of
type 1, Donna would never
have been inspired to create The
Insulin Gang, which never would
have created a global community
from her home in the UK that is
tied together with the love and
support of the Travelling Bears.
In January 2011, Donna’s
daughter Cerys was diagnosed
with type 1 at the age of nine
after suffering from a chest
infection. Despite initially
believing the diagnosis was wrong- she had never heard of children
being affected by diabetes - Donna realised she needed to
get to grips with their new way
of life and help Cerys, a shy, very
needle-phobic girl, adjust to a life
with blood tests and injections.
At the time, the family didn’t
know anyone affected by type 1. WORDS
ELLIE GRIFFITHSPHOTOGRAPHYDONNA-MICHELLE DONKIN, ELIZABETH MARRIOTT,NATALIE DYSON, PAMELA CURRAN, GETTY IMAGESILLUSTRATIONALENA-MAE DONKINInspired by
her daughter’s
diagnosis of
type 1 diabetes,
Donna-Michelle
Donkin began a
global support
group for people
with diabetes and
their families on
This led to Donna creating a
website and subsequent Facebook
group called The Insulin Gang,
for people with diabetes and their
families. “I am proud of The
Gang,” says Donna of the group,
which has more than 5000
members. “It is a friendly,
informative place to find
friendship, support and advice.”
Through The Insulin Gang,
Donna started another Facebook
group called The Adventures of
The Insulin Gang Travelling Bears- with over 1500 members –
which currently consists of 50
teddy bears (both purchased and
donated) visiting children with
type 1 across the world. One
resides in a clinic in India, while
the rest are scattered across the
UK, Northern Ireland, America,
Portugal, Canada, Spain, Iceland,
THE
bears
TRAVELLING
diabetes hero
Donna with
daughters, from left,
Alena-Mae and Cerys.16 JULY/AUGUST 2018 diabetic living