A parent-led campaign that aims to replace finger prick blood testing with painless monitors for type-1 diabetic children has smashed its target date.

Monitors4Kids has raised its £120,000 target within eighteen months compared to its two year target.

The campaign, which began in July 2018, has been raising funds to provide free continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technology to children so they don’t have to draw blood to test their blood glucose levels several times a day.

This technology is not available on the NHS in the island.

Campaign leader Jo Wilkinson, whose daughter Danielle is type-1 diabetic, said: ’This is a fantastic achievement by the parent volunteers on the Monitors4Kids committee.

’We are incredibly grateful for the support the Manx community has given us, from businesses donating large sums and making us their charity of the year to the kind individuals who gave what they could, as well as type-1 children themselves who have gone out and raised funds for the campaign.’

She added: ’Data shows that continuous glucose monitoring improves blood glucose levels, meaning better health for those with type-1 diabetes and fewer complications in later life, so less of a burden on NHS services.

’In addition, type-1 diabetes is a lifelong condition and anything that can improve quality of life should be welcomed.’

The monitors, approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), are placed under the skin and are ’swiped’ to get an instant blood sugar reading.

The information is then stored and parents can have the data sent to their mobile phones, including urgent notifications if their child has a potentially dangerous low blood sugar level.

Manx Diabetic Group, which supports those affected by both type-1 and type-2 diabetes in the island, helped kick-start the fundraising with a £10,000 donation.

The charity raised its concerns about parents using up their savings to buy the costly monitors so that they can give their child the best medical care available.

Monitors4Kids is now closed to donations, but anyone who wants to support the diabetic community in the Isle of Man can find out more by emailing [email protected] or searching www.manxdiabeticgroup.com/