Goryeb Children’s Hospital and JDRF partner on type 1 diabetes educational video series
NEW JERSEY — The BD Diabetes Center at Atlantic Health System’s Goryeb Children’s Hospital and JDRF, the leading global type 1 diabetes research and advocacy organization, have partnered to distribute an educational video series for youth with type 1 diabetes.
The three-part series, comprised of five-minute videos, focuses on helping teens and young adults with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes surmount some of the emotional challenges that often come with this chronic health condition.
The series titled, “It’s Not the End of the World – Living with New Type 1 Diabetes,” provides helpful psychosocial support material to adolescent patients with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes and their families.
The series normalizes common feelings and provides support during the early days and weeks after diabetes diagnosis. This contrasts with the many previously available educational materials, which primarily focus on the practical “nuts and bolts” of diabetes therapy.
“We often see newly diagnosed adolescents deal with the stresses and related issues that type 1 diabetes brings,” said Harold Starkman, MD, pediatric endocrinologist, and Director Emeritus of the BD Diabetes Center at Atlantic Health System’s Goryeb Children’s Hospital. “We are proud to offer these educational videos, at no cost, as an important part of the work we do to ensure that all kids with diabetes and their families have essential resources to navigate this often-challenging journey.”
The first video in the “It’s Not the End of the World – Living with New Type 1 Diabetes” series, discusses common feelings when diabetes is first diagnosed and shares advice on how to deal with them. The second video focuses on going home with diabetes and how this may affect the whole family. The third video shares important information about returning to school and telling friends about diabetes. It also emphasizes that diabetes will not limit sports and other extra-curricular activities.
Dr. Starkman and the BD Team have a strong interest in improving psychosocial support for youth with type 1 diabetes.
“Diabetes often arrives as an uninvited, overwhelming and demanding new family member. We are trying to ease this transition,” Dr. Starkman said.
“A new type 1 diabetes diagnosis in a young person’s life is an extra layer of stress during a time that is inherently filled with change and transition”, said Kristin Horowitz, director of community engagement at JDRF. “This new video series will help teens and young adults to establish a new normal by addressing the psychosocial factors that are so important to long term health and successful diabetes management.”
Eight adolescent patients, who freely share their experiences and personal journeys with type 1 diabetes are featured throughout the series.
The videos are available on Atlantic Health System’s YouTube channel, as well as on JDRF’s website, and will soon be available as part of JDRF’s Newly Diagnosed communication series which will be distributed nationwide.
Production support for “It’s Not the End of the World” comes from the BD Diabetes Center at Goryeb Children’s Hospital, Calling All Kids and The Women’s Association of Morristown Medical Center. Creative guidance and vision was spearheaded by The Studio-NYC. Additional production support was provided by the JDRF and Camp Nejeda. This project was underwritten by BD and the generosity of individual donors.
The BD Diabetes Center at Goryeb Children’s Hospital is certified by the American Diabetes Association and is nationally recognized for the development of innovative educational and support programs for both families and health care professionals.
