Further to that, Diabetes Youth really welcomes input into our conference – topics, speakers ….actually anything at all that will help make it a thoroughly enjoyable experience. As rather novice organisers, we are learning from each one tho I always have a few ‘ darn, I wished I’d done that better’ moments.
I’m heading to Rotorua next week to check out the hotel – am navigating blind at the moment! We’ll have info on our website after next weekend and hopefully some programme content will start falling into place.

Last year was great at this conference guys – I would urge you all to come along, especially since it is so close! And besides, who doesn’t love a good ol’ road trip!

No Bruce Springsteen allowed.

PS – the After Dinner Speaker for the Diabetes NZ conference is Philip Rush, the only person to have completed two double crossings of Cook Strait, both SNS and NSN. He will be talking about digging deep and keeping going when it all seems a bit hard! Check out his commercial website at http://www.cookstraitswim.org.nz/home.htm

re Diabetes Youth conference
Nic – it is great you are MCing this. Went to my 1st Diabetes Youth conference last year, really enjoyed it and hope to go this year so look forward to listening to your stories
Chris – ideas for speakers- it would good for those with t1d kids under 8 to hear about the camps, also it’s always to good to hear from young ones how they cope at school, sports etc, have you thought about a workshops – maybe just talking about life experiences eg the best bits of being t1d and the worst?
keep up the good work !

Hi Wendy – we wondered about bringing back some of the kids who have won the John McLaren Award over the years telling us about what they’ve been doing but then also extending that to a Q & A Panel discussion with them. We do that in Chch at the newly diagnosed night and it always works a treat. It often doesn’t pay for some of the panelists parents to be in the room as they will often hear for the first time that their teen DOES drink or does start the morning with a can of V or does skip insulin. Parents of really young kids or newly diagnosed really gain a lot from these frank discussions with kids who are succeeding at their chosen sport/academic/cultural pursuit and being typical teens ( who just happen to also have diabetes)!

Nic – you little MC queen you! I would love to attend however a certain someone has his first birthday that weekend. I am looking in to attending though. Just a little bit costly for me at present. I am definitely in for Rotorua though.

Does anyone know if there will be any talk of pumping at the DNZ conference? I checked out the agenda but couldn’t find anything…

Cost for the DYNZ conference in Rotorua will be similar to last year – around $150ish for individual rego and $250 for family rego. We’ll finalise that when we get a feel for how much sponsorship we can get to subsidise the cost.
What in particular would you like to hear on pumping Ruth?? I can really only speak for the DYNZ conference but company reps should be at both conferences to talk about their newest technology. And its often the networking where people pick up most of their tips.
We had some criticism last year that ‘ too many people were pumping, esp guest speakers’ so we’re dammed if we do and dammed if we don’t at times! I think its important that we hear more about the place of CGMS as well as pumps.
Any inspiration for speakers on pump/CGMS (and any other topics) most welcomed.

I’d love to hear more about CGMS, Chris. And it would be awesome to have someone talk about some tips and tricks on exercise with diabetes. Not necessarily a sporting great, but someone who can talk to the physiological aspects and how to combat the rise and fall of BGs accordingly.