Double shock for family

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It took three months and two sets of bad news to turn the Darby family’s lives upside down.

The family of four had a normal life on the North Shore until Cameron, 14, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in March 2004.

They were still adjusting to the news when they learned his sister Samantha, 11, had the disease too.

"It was the worst year of our lives," says dad Tony.

"It was like hitting a brick wall," says mum Bronwyn.

"For a week or so after Cameron was diagnosed I was a mess and then when Sam was diagnosed I was just numb."

In early 2004, Cameron started exhibiting classic symptoms of type 1 diabetes such as losing weight and constantly needing water.

After his diagnosis the family struggled to come to terms with a lifetime of insulin injections and a diet overhaul.

They thought the worst was over until a family holiday to Australia in April.

Then Samantha started using Cameron’s equipment to give herself blood tests.

Her curiousity turned to fear for the family as she started coming back with unusually high blood sugar readings.

The fears were confirmed upon their return to New Zealand where they learned that Samantha has the disease.

The diagnosis surprised doctors who had told the family Samantha had only a remote chance of having type 1 diabetes.

None of the Darby's extended family have the disease and there is no known cause for contracting it.

It has been four years since the turmoil caused by their twin diagnoses and Samantha and Cameron are adjusting well to life with their condition.

Cameron has an insulin pump inserted into his side and Samantha injects herself with insulin four to five times a day.

They both manage successful academic lives, while Samantha is a musician and a top badminton player at Rangitoto College.

She recently won a $1000 scholarship from Diabetes Youth New Zealand for her all-round achievements.

For their parents, the ultimate hope is for a cure.

They are strong advocates of xenotransplantation, in which insulin-producing cells from pigs are injected into diabetics.

"You just hope that New Zealand will allow the good work that’s being done to be done here," says Mr Darby.

- © Fairfax NZ News