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Virginia Maher

Being willing to alter one's lifestyle is a crucial factor in the fight against diabetes.  A stark illustration is made by the cases of Yeung Chee-sun and his sister Betty Yeung So-ying.

Ms Yeung, a 29-year-old factory worker, tried from the beginning to do everything the doctors advised and is insulin-dependent and relatively free of complications.

Mr Yeung, a 32-year-old retired warehouse supervisor, did not take the advice seriously, and has just had part of his left leg amputated. He is wheelchair-bound and is on peritoneal dialysis three times a day.

Both have been treated for Type 1 diabetes mellitus since they were teenagers.

Despite efforts by the diabetes team at the Prince of Wales Hospital, Mr Yeung now has every possible complication, due to poor self-care.

Ms Yeung still struggles with weight control. She is on four injections a day, and her control over the disease is better when she succeeds in keeping  her weight down.

'I was 13 when I was diagnosed,' she says. 'I always gave myself my shots and took my medicine faithfully.'

She learned the importance of weight control the hard way. 'I ate all the wrong things [when I was young]. I refused to stop going with my friends to fast-food places after school. I didn't feel sick so I ignored the medical team's advice. Poor food control was at the root of my problems.'

Mr Yeung's diabetes is at an advanced stage. 'I have been very sick for six years,' he says. 'My complications include end-stage renal failure, heart disease, skin lesions, poor vision and increased deafness. I have had a lot of surgery but nothing seems to help. I am a model of everything that could possibly go wrong for a diabetic.'

His greatest regret is the suffering he has caused his wife.  He weeps when he speaks of the children he and his wife always wanted but were unable to have because of his condition.

Young patients have to wrestle with the fear and anger that can come with diabetes.

Johnny Cheng Chun-ning, 13, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in February.

Fear has prompted a complete change in lifestyle. 'I always thought diabetes was a disease of old, fat people, and I am neither old nor fat,' he says.

He is managing on four injections a day, which he says frighten him, and is being treated by the diabetes team at the Qualigenics Diabetes Centre.



Patients find self-care is vital to keep the illness under control