Lives changed

BRITTNEY Diamond, 8, knows no different; Rania Abboud, 18, noticed a change at age 12.
Their friends are in awe of what they have to go through, but both girls say it’s a small price to pay to stay alive.
They have type one diabetes.
As part of World Diabetes Day on Friday, they talked with Star about how the disease affects different age groups and their families.
Rania said that being diagnosed at age 12 was a “big change.”
“ I had to start looking after myself,” she said.
“When went to school I couldn’t rely on anyone else to look after me, so I had to take control.”
Rania completed her VCE this month.
“I was given permission to take jelly beans into the exam room and was allowed to leave if I needed,” she said.
“Stress levels affected my sugars and it was important to stay on top of it all. But I got through it.”
Both girls rely on several insulin injections daily and test their blood sugars throughout the day.