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Diabetes Youth Golf Day

When Chloe Harvey’s younger brother was diagnosed with type 1
diabetes, it profoundly affected her whole family. “I didn’t have
a clue as to why people were diagnosed with diabetes, I thought it only affected
people who didn’t eat right”, said Chloe.


Chloe, a student at MIT, currently completing a
Bachelor of Applied Communication degree, incorporated her personal life into a
practical project for one of her courses, Advanced Public Relations and Event
Management. The course has a practical component, where the students work
closely with an external organisation and run an event for them. Due to her
brother’s circumstances, Chloe chose Diabetes Youth Auckland.  “Choosing
an organisation for the project was an easy task”, says Chloe, “I was able to
bring a bit of home with me to MIT, which made me really passionate about the
project”.


Chloe and her team member for the project, Candice Kippen, are
organising a Golf Day, to be held on 13 May at Pakuranga Country Club. The
  purpose of the event is to raise funds for Diabetes Youth Auckland and to raise
  awareness amongst the community, “so that people at the event may act as
  advocates, and pass on the information they learn about diabetes to their
  family and friends”, says Candice. The golfers will be playing 18 holes of
  golf, followed by a buffet dinner, cash bar and prize giving. To gain support,
  the students approached several local businesses, from which they either
  received money, goods or vouchers and some businesses even sponsored a team to
  take part in the golf day. McDonalds Pakuranga donated $1000. “We were really
  grateful for the local companies’ generous support in the current economic
  climate”, says Chloe.


Chloe had very little knowledge of diabetes before her
  brother, Jackson (14), was diagnosed. A vital fact that Chloe learnt, is that
  there are two different types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune
disease, in which the body's immune system attacks the beta cells. These cells
produce insulin and are found in the pancreas. “That is why people with type 1
diabetes need to inject themselves with insulin, as their own body produces less
and less as time goes by”, says Chloe. “Type 2 diabetes is often known as the
  lifestyle disease, which might be brought on by eating incorrectly or not
  exercising”, says Chloe.  With
type 2 diabetes, either the body doesn't produce enough insulin or the cells in
your body don't recognise the insulin that is present.


“After researching, we discovered that diabetes is an increasing
health issue that definitely needs to be addressed”, says Candice. Diabetes New
Zealand statistics show that in Auckland alone, 750 youth have type 1 diabetes
and in 2020, it is estimated that 500,000 New Zealanders will have diabetes.
“This is a scary thought and some of these cases are preventable,”says Candice,
“it is a good feeling knowing that we are going to educate people about diabetes
and make a difference to young people living with diabetes in
  Auckland”.


Diabetes Youth Auckland is a non profitable organisation. Their
  committee comprises of parents with a young person that has diabetes. The
  parents volunteer their time and services and work together with Diabetes
  Auckland and Starship Hospital. Diabetes Youth Auckland offers support,
  educational resources and advocate specifically for young
people.


The students are still looking for local companies to support
  this great cause and are hoping to get a few more companies to join in on
  Friday.

Marist Too Strong For Papatoetoe

Papatoetoe were unsuccessful in defeating Marist on Saturday 14th May in the Alan McEvoy Shield Challenge, as they lost 25-17 to the visiting team. Both teams had their fair share of chances to cross the line but Marist capitalised on their opportunities far better than Papatoetoe.

Marist took an early lead after John Mills kicked the first penalty of the game and it didn’t take long for Jordan Hyland to cross the line for the first try. Mills was unsuccessful in converting the try, leaving the score at 8-0.

Papatoetoe were given an opportunity to narrow the lead when Marist flanker Kolo Mahe was sent to the Sin Bin, for deliberately slowing the ball down at the breakdown. Papatoetoe didn’t take advantage of this however, as they only gained three points from the boot of Desma Liaina for a penalty, taking the score to 8-3.

Good pressure on Papatoetoe from Marist at the breakdown saw the ball turned over onto the Marist side and Viliame Waqaseduadua was denied a try, as he lost the ball forward. But a few minutes later Marist were awarded a penalty and Mills took the kick, giving Marist an 11-3 point lead.

Papatoetoe number 8 Olajuwon Noa was denied a try just before half time as he was pushed into touch, leaving the half time score at 11-3.

Papatoetoe looked dangerous in the second half with the pairing of first five-eighths Latiume Fosita and second five-eighths Junior Tavaga, with both players making plenty of line breaks. That didn’t stop Marist from getting the next try as they won a line out and a maul was formed. The maul drove all the way from the 10 metre line up to the try line. Willie Mailo dotted down the try and with Mills successfully kicking the conversion, Marist took an 18-3 point lead on the home side.

Some stunning foot work from Papatoetoe’s blindside flanker Tipiloma Kaveinga was enough to set up the team’s first try.  After making the initial line break, Kaveinga passed to winger Tenina Sauileoge who planted the ball between the posts. Liaina converted the try, narrowing Marist’s lead to 18-10.

Marist had another streak of bad luck as they had another man sent to the Sin Bin, as blindside flanker Tom Preece was penalised for not entering the correct gate in the ruck. This gave Papatoetoe another chance to shorten the lead even further but Lidcombe Leaupepe passed the ball to no-one and it went into touch.

Papatoetoe were poor in supporting the ball carrier and Sauileoge was penalised for not releasing the ball. Talking back to the referee, Liam Scanlon saw Papatoetoe lose 10 metres and Marist opted for the kick. Mills couldn’t kick the penalty, leaving the score at 18-10.

The Marist backline worked well together and Hyland sprinted up the wing to pass to Waqaseduadua, who got the next try for Marist. Mills did manage to convert this try, taking the score to 25-10 with only four minutes to play.

Although Papatoetoe lost the game, that didn’t stop them from fighting to the very last second. Fullback Patrick Masoe made a line break right down the middle of the field. A good ruck saw Tavaga pass to Kaveinga, he then passed back to Tavaga and Sauileoge got the last try of the game. Liaina had the last say, as he kicked the conversion but it wasn’t enough to win the game and Marist took the 25-17 victory.

Marist 25 (Tries: J Hyland, W Mailo, V Waqaseduadua. Cons: 2 J Mills. Pens: 2 J Mills.) 17 Papatoetoe (Tries: 2 T Sauileoge. Cons: 2 D Liaina. Pens: D Liaina.)

Swing it 4 Diabetes

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Getting 144 people on the golf course to swing it for a good cause is not easy. Two MIT students have taken on an ambitious project to raise money and awareness for Diabetes Youth Auckland and it has proved to be tough.

The ‘Swing it 4 Diabetes’ Golf Day will be held on the 13 May at the Pakuranga Country Club. All teams entered are employees from local businesses all teaming together to raise money for this great cause. Despite generous sponsorship from Carters East Tamaki, Pakuranga McDonalds and AB Equipment and other local businesses, they have found it a hard climate to ask for money.

The motivation to host an event for Diabetes Youth Auckland came six months ago when one of the student’s, Chloe Harvey, brother was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

 Candice Kippen, also involved in the project, says “I was shocked at the severity of this disease that I knew nothing about.”

Approximately 19 people are diagnosed with diabetes every day in New Zealand and 750 youth within Auckland have Type 1 diabetes. Diabetes Auckland supplied the girls with these statistics.  This figure really astonished Kippen and Harvey because they realised that by 2020 there will be 500,000 New Zealanders with diabetes, an incurable yet largely avoidable chronic condition.

Harvey’s brother Jackson, 14, who is learning to live with Type 1 diabetes knows all too well the added responsibility he has to keep himself alive. Jackson’s mother Nicola Harvey says “It is hard enough growing up, going through puberty and your teen years without having the added stress of diabetes.”

The event will be a fun-filled day starting with a shotgun tee off at 12.30pm playing 18 holes of Ambrose golf followed by a buffet dinner and prize giving. Harvey and Kippen are hoping to have a silent auction and raffle as well but this depends on the generosity of local companies.

Kippen said that fund raising had been difficult. “People are just not giving at this time, we have had a lot of no’s”. The current situation with the Christchurch earthquake has made the task of finding companies to support this event and cause very tough for the two; not that this has dampened their enthusiasm.

All of the proceeds will go directly to help the young people like Jackson who are faced with the daily challenge of living with Type 1 diabetes, having to inject themselves with insulin three times a day and check blood levels constantly throughout the day.

Chloe Harvey