Siblings' chance for a life less painful | Rotorua News | Local News in Rotorua

Having multiple daily insulin injections is "stink" according to Isaac Hanlen and he hopes they will soon be a thing of the past.

The 9-year-old and his sister Mckenzie, 7, have this year both received small handheld insulin pumps from Variety The Children's Charity but neither of them can use them until the family finds extra funding - it costs $60 each a week to keep the pumps running.

Isaac's arrived this week and the pair have been examining the small machines to see how they will work.

The Kawaha Point pair both have type 1 diabetes, an insulin dependent disease which requires constant monitoring of food intake and blood sugar levels.

"It will be a lot easier for my sport and diabetes," Isaac said.

"When [I need it] I won't have to have my insulin, I'll just ask mum to push the button and then keep playing.

"I don't like having injections - they're stink and it hurts sometimes."

The duo live with their diabetes together. Despite their tender years they have been testing and injecting themselves for as long as they can remember.

"It really hurts but you have to go through with it," Mckenzie said.

"Mum used to do it, then I started doing it myself."

Children are supposed to be 10 before they take charge of their diabetes but Isaac was 6 and Mckenzie 4 or 5.

Mum Stacey Hanlen said the new pumps, which would be attached to their torso 24 hours a day and held in place with a belt, would take away the pain of injections and mean their insulin levels are at a constant level.

"It will mean a big change for them," said Mrs Hanlen.

"Every day they have to do their blood sugar tests and inject insulin to their tummies. They do this between three and five times a day. Sometimes they test their blood up to 10 times a day.

"The pumps give them better overall control. It levels out their insulin levels and makes them happier."

She said when their blood sugar levels were too high or too low they became "cranky".

"It's hard but you just go with it."

 Despite receiving the $7500 pumps, the Hanlens have been unable to get their children started on the machines because of the weekly cost of $60 for each child.

They have to fund the lures - flexible needles - the pump uses to feed the insulin into their bloodstream as well as batteries and wipes.

Meanwhile, Rotorua schoolgirl Sarah Smit also received an insulin pump after the Miss World New Zealand event raised $17,000 for Variety. That money bought three pumps.

A third grant of $2070 was presented to an intellectually disabled 9-year-old Rotorua boy to buy a specialised trike which would help improve his muscle tone and general fitness.

Variety chief executive Lorraine Taylor said: "For many families, children and child-related organisations, we are their last resort."