T1International works alongside people with diabetes around the world to advocate for access to diabetes supplies. The charity is currently running their Insulin for Syrians campaign, encouraging people to donate money that will be used to provide insulin and diabetes supplies to families in Aleppo and other locations in Syria where aid has been cut off.
A low estimate from T1International partner, the Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS), notes that there are at least 2,000 Syrians who are in urgent need of insulin, syringes and blood glucose monitoring supplies.
A man in Syria with a child with type 1 diabetes told T1International, “For us to secure the most basic necessities of life is becoming extremely difficult with a small child suffering from diabetes. I tried to run away towards Europe, but did not have the courage to risk taking my family in the sea after I saw pictures of children who drowned in the sea. We are trying to keep alive, but of all things I wish that my son could live like other children.”
Some of the biggest struggles faced by people living with the condition who remain in the country include access to only expired or damaged insulin and no availability of diabetes specialists.
In Aleppo the road is heavily targeted by snipers and air strikes, and it is exposed on two sides – the Kurdish militias and the government forces. The SAMS Logistics Manager said, “The doctors and the medical aid providers threaten themselves to deliver the insulin and the other medical aids to more than 300,000 living in the city. Many civilians are killed every day. They are facing many difficulties in their life, even if they did not need medical service. The hospitals are the main targets of the Syrian and Russian air strikes.”
SAMS is one of the only groups continuing to operate in some of the worst parts of Syria, including Aleppo and Idlib where it’s especially dangerous and where the need is great. They are doing their best to keep hospitals safe, despite the ongoing targeting of those facilities.
A donation of just $15 can provide someone with insulin for at least a month, and $135 would be enough to provide approximately one year’s worth of insulin and a number of life-saving test strips to monitor blood sugar levels and adjust insulin dosages. You will truly give them the gift of life.
Insulin and other supplies will be purchased in Turkey from various providers as there is little to no insulin available in Syria now. It is brought over on a reefer truck by the incredible SAMS staff who cross extremely dangerous roads to get back to Syria. They know that although it is unsafe, there are thousands who need insulin urgently. There are only a number of operating hospitals left in Syria, many of them underground. These will be the main points of distribution of the insulin and supplies, where things can be kept cool.
There are a number of ways to donate. You can give via PayPal or ask us for bank details to do a direct transfer. Thank you. Beyond Type 1 has agreed to match £1000 ($1342) of the money raised to help address these urgent needs.
*The campaign has ended*
