# Emmerdale: diabetes shock for Kerry when she loses her sight - Laura Norton interview



## Northerner

Party girl Kerry Wyatt is to lose the sight in one eye when she's diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy.

Hard-living Kerry is told by doctors that if she doesn't change her unhealthy diet, then she could eventually face total blindness.

"She's really scared," says actress Laura Norton. "It's a terrifying prospect to have had sight and then, because you've neglected to look after yourself, be told that you might lose it. But this is the best wake-up call that she could have had."

http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2015...-she-loses-her-sight---laura-norton-interview


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## Amigo

It's strange but I was thinking about her character the other night (sad I know). What an opportunity to depict accurately what life is really like for D's especially Type 1's. I have wondered (in that she rarely mentions her condition, no evidence of testing, food control or limiting the booze) how she hasn't keeled over before now so at least the show are prepared to expose the dangers to the public. Just hope it's done well.


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## Northerner

Amigo said:


> It's strange but I was thinking about her character the other night (sad I know). What an opportunity to depict accurately what life is really like for D's especially Type 1's. I have wondered (in that she rarely mentions her condition, no evidence of testing, food control or limiting the booze) how she hasn't keeled over before now so at least the show are prepared to expose the dangers to the public. Just hope it's done well.


Agreed. Soaps have a habit of giving a character a storyline and then quietly dropping the consequences later. Let's hope they don't make some enormous gaffes for 'dramatic effect' that bear no relation to reality and give Joe Public yet another wrong impression! Having said that, I wouldn't imagine retinopathy suddenly manifesting itself after a bike ride, but I could be wrong.


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## Amigo

Dramatic effect trumps reality every time in the soaps northie. That Emmerdale village is becoming more dangerous than downtown Chicago!


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## Redkite

I just hope it's not all focused on a healthy diet.  It's lack of insulin (or inappropriate dosing for food/activity) that leads to high BG levels and increased risk of complications.  It p's me off that the message being given out is that if "diabetics" simply ate a healthy diet, things like blindness wouldn't happen.  That just isn't true, but leads to a lack of sympathy from Joe public.


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## Flower

Please cover the devastating impact of sight loss appropriately Emmerdale -I've never watched Emmerdale but might have to now!

Even though I had been treated with maximum laser I did lose sight suddenly overnight, first in one eye soon followed by the other. My sight had been diminishing after laser but there was a sudden moment when it disappeared so I suppose it could happen due to untreated retinopathy and sudden retinal haemorrhages occluding all vision. The description of it happening after the impact of crashing a bike could make sense as I was causing retinal bleeds by the movement of just sneezing when my retinopathy was at its most aggressive as the new vessels that grow in the retina are so tiny and fragile they burst and bleed very easily and the blood is trapped in the eyeball.

So glad to hear there will be some ongoing comedy moments for the character because diabetes, retinopathy and sight loss are right up there for laughs


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## Northerner

Flower said:


> Please cover the devastating impact of sight loss appropriately Emmerdale -I've never watched Emmerdale but might have to now!
> 
> Even though I had been treated with maximum laser I did lose sight suddenly overnight, first in one eye soon followed by the other. My sight had been diminishing after laser but there was a sudden moment when it disappeared so I suppose it could happen due to untreated retinopathy and sudden retinal haemorrhages occluding all vision. The description of it happening after the impact of crashing a bike could make sense as I was causing retinal bleeds by the movement of just sneezing when my retinopathy was at its most aggressive as the new vessels that grow in the retina are so tiny and fragile they burst and bleed very easily and the blood is trapped in the eyeball.
> 
> So glad to hear there will be some ongoing comedy moments for the character because diabetes, retinopathy and sight loss are right up there for laughs


I think it was you I was thinking of Flower, when I qualified my response. I don't watch the programme, but get the impression that the character hasn't displayed any prior symptoms, so presumably no lasering or other treatment that might increase the risk. Still, you can't expect absolute accuracy, but hope for at least a realistic depiction of the consequences.


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## Sally71

Wouldn't it be nice, when a soap has a diabetic character, if they could just *occasionally* show them doing a blood test and then working out how much insulin they need to cover the large slice of cake/meal/snack they are about to eat?  Or do a test which comes out sky high, realise they forgot to take their breakfast insulin that day and that's why they've been feeling rubbish and running to the loo all morning so then they have to do a correction dose.  Etc etc.  just to give people a slightly better idea of what hard work it is!

Yes I know, dream on...

(I hardly watch any soaps any more, most of the storylines are just too silly and the characters drive me mad!  No offence to those of you who do enjoy them though!)


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## Vicsetter

2 yrs on and we are having the same discussion (see: https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/emmerdale.39252/).  We are all forgetting that Sandy is also Diabetic, but it's not been mentioned for ages.  I don't recall Kerry's diabetes being mentioned recently either.


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## Northerner

Vicsetter said:


> 2 yrs on and we are having the same discussion (see: https://forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/emmerdale.39252/).  We are all forgetting that Sandy is also Diabetic, but it's not been mentioned for ages.  I don't recall Kerry's diabetes being mentioned recently either.


Yup, happens in every soap, every time  Shame really, because it could actually be quite a good running plot device and a reminder that the character involved has something additional to deal with that perhaps their peers don't.


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## Flower

I hope there's more to it than her wearing an eye patch for 2 episodes, moaning about having to live on lettuce then someone giving her a box of 'diabetic' chocolates to cheer her up  and life magically returning to normal.


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## Amigo

If it goes true to usual Emmerdale form, like the clinging to life attempted murder victims, characters who break their backs and those with alcohol addiction, they'll recover in a fortnight and be seen out riding horses, managing moderation in the pub or doing jobs none of them ever trained for! 

Please let them make this storyline more believable 

Naturally I don't watch it...uh hum


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## Northerner

Diabetes UK have responded to the storyline. Seems they were consulted, then 'dramatic license' took over 

https://www.diabetes.org.uk/About_u...ures-extreme-example-of-diabetic-retinopathy/

Haven't been watching - how has the storyline continued?


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## Matt Cycle

What did Diabetes UK expect!!?  It's a soap opera not a documentary.  It was bound to be overly dramatic.

From recollection there have been a few T1 characters in soaps over the years.  Debbie from Brookside in the 80's (Damon and Debbie storyline) - "arhh, eh Debbie you're a junkie".  (Incidentally the actress who played Debbie now has a role in Emmerdale).  Also one of the nurses in Casualty early 90's.  Apparently one of the EastEnders characters at the moment as well who is a T1 in real life - but I don't really watch that.  Like most soap storylines it features for a bit then is hardly ever or never mentioned again - often the character is killed off or leaves etc!!


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