NEWS
JUST ONE MORE JAB!
CAN A COMIC EDUCATE KIDS
ABOUT KETONES?
Don't forget to get your flu jab done if you
have not done so already, in time for this
year's flu season. According to Diabetes
UK, 1 in 3 under-65s with diabetes
missed out on vital flu jab last winter,
putting themselves at risk of potentially
life-threatening complications. Anyone
with diabetes¬ - including those who
are pregnant - is entitled to a free a flu
jab. Having a serious infection, such as
flu, causes blood sugar levels to rise so
high that they become dangerous, which
is why people with diabetes, in particular,
are at risk. A flu jab gives you the best
chance of fighting off the flu. Without
it, flu can also develop to pneumonia
or bronchitis, which can often require
hospital admission.
Dan Howarth, Head of Care at
Diabetes UK, said: "It can take up to two
weeks for a flu jab to work. It is essential
that everyone with diabetes gets their
free flu jab as soon as possible to avoid
the illness and eliminate the risk of lifethreatening
complications as flu hits the
UK this winter."
www.diabetes.org.uk/flu
and was an initiative by University Hospital
Southampton NHS Foundation Trust,
Queen Alexandra Hospital Portsmouth
and Revolve Comics. Concept drivers
and contributors include Dr Partha Kar
(pictured in his cartoon nemesis on the
left), Dr Mayank Patel, and Type 1 diabetic
Lee Calladine.
Calladine, who works for the
charity Diabetes Research & Wellness
Foundation (DRWF), was asked for his
input into the comic by his consultant
Dr Patel, giving his perspective of what
it's like to experience DKA and a how he
manages his diabetes to limit or prevent
the chance of having DKA again. He says,
"DKA is no joke, so it was great to play a
small part in the production of this unique
and important learning tool. If the comic
can help educate the younger age group
it's aimed at and raise general awareness,
then that is a fantastic achievement. Using
the format of a comic is not downplaying
the importance of the message, it's just
a means getting vital info to children,
teens and young adults in a way that
Type 1: Attack of the Ketones is the second
issue of the Type 1: Origins comic series
sponsored by NHS England. The comic
was the QiC Diabetes winner last year,
they can enjoy and relate to. It's about
raising awareness and learning from life's
lessons. Batman once said, 'Why do we
fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves
back up.' Sometimes people talk about
the 'path of least resistance' as if it's a
bad thing, but in this case, if they pick up
the comic and read about their condition
because it's packaged up in an enjoyable
way, then mission accomplished!"
Read the issues here:
www.revolvecomics.com