# Friends for Life 2011



## Northerner (Oct 31, 2011)

I was just wondering if any of our members went to the FFL Conference this past weekend and if so could you tell us how things went?


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## Monica (Oct 31, 2011)

We went!!!

I'll just quickly give a short answer, because my brain has been overloaded with info and fun this week-end.

It was a good week-end. The girls had a great time and are already nagging to go again next year. The talks were very interesting. Unfortunately I couldn't split myself into 2 to go to all the talks I was interested in. I met loads of the lovely mums from CWD. Also met Tom and Shiv.

We travelled back home this morning, as it would have been a long dark drive home last night. We stayed in a Premier Inn about 30 min away from Windsor. We are all very shattered, as the sleeping arrangements left a lot to be desired since Tuesday. I went to have a nap this afternoon and ended up sleeping for THREE hours!!!


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## Northerner (Oct 31, 2011)

Thanks Monica, glad to hear that it went well, and also that the girls enjoyed it so much that they want to go again! I've seen a few pictures on FB and it looks like it was a great success


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## Northerner (Nov 3, 2011)

Here's the report on this year's conference from the Children With Diabetes website 

http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/activities/UK2011/report.htm


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## Adrienne (Nov 4, 2011)

Hiya

I go to this.  This was CWD's 50th FFL and it happened to be in the UK so rather special.   There have been three in total in the UK and I've been to all three.    

Its blooming expensive but you can apply for a scholarship if on the breadline but most parents save like hell and forgo summer holidays just for this weekend.   It is such an amazing weekend, it really it.   This year there were 500 people, the other times there has only been 300.    They are looking at larger venues for more sponsors and more people as there was still a waiting list.

We had the best of the best there this year holding sessions and present keynote speeches.  

Ragnar Hanus was there and brilliant.   He is all very scientificy but so interesting to hear.   He did a keynote to everyone and then his own session.   

This year our very own Prof Hindmarsh, our wonder consultant from UCLH did a keynote which was so funny yet so informative and he had his own session with our most fabulous DSN Becky Thompson.

The USA CWD people bring their own chaps with them who are just amazing.  They have diabetes educators in the USA which we don't have here and most of the ones that come over are adults with Type 1.   All seem to be on pumps and all have CGM.    They know their stuff and hold their own sessions.   We love them and the same ones come yearly.     

We also heard from Jay Hewitt who became type 1 as an adult and being a stubborn kind of man decided to do a marathan.   He then decided to become an ironman.   Well I didn't know what an ironman was, I do now and wow what can I say.   Google Ironman !     They have to complete 144 miles in one day.   They swim 2.5 miles, then cycle for approx 115 miles and then run a 26.2 marathan, all in one day.   It is utterly amazing and it doesn't take them as long as you think it might.

I live for this weekend every year now and the holiday I organise as well in May so we have two weekend a year where lots of us get together, very different weekends and very different prices but it means that every 6 months we get a 'fix' of being with people who live the same lives as other with the constant worry of a parent that something is going to happen to our child which is out of our control because that is the nature of diabetes.

Here endth the lesson about FFL


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## Northerner (Nov 4, 2011)

Thanks Adrienne, I've seen all the pictures on FB and it looks absolutely wonderful - so many happy, smiling youngsters!  I would have loved to meet Ragnar Hanas and Gary Scheiner and Jay and Joe Solo - well, all of them really, just to shake them by the hand and thank them for all that they do.


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## Adrienne (Nov 4, 2011)

Joe Solo is everyone's hero.    The kids love him, the parents love him.  We would love to bottle him up and bring him here.


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