By Camille Vandendriessche, Assistant Copy Editor

The School of Social Work launched a program this semester to support children and families of children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

The first meeting was Monday night at Hillcrest Church of Christ under the supervision of Dr. Darrell Jordan, associate professor of social work, and Stephanie Daniel and Kristina Akers, two social work graduate students respectively from Fort Worth and Abilene, who coordinate the program.

Eight to nine children from five to 13-years-old attended the meeting with their siblings and parents, Daniel said. The families are from Abilene and its surrounding areas, with the farthest coming from Sweetwater.

More than 15,000 children are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes every year in the United States, according to an ACU press release. Type 1 diabetes is an incurable disease that causes the pancreas to no longer produce insulin and requires lifelong treatment.

The disease affects one out of 400 to 600 children under 20, Akers said.

Initiated by a student’s midterm project in fall 2008, the diabetes support program addresses the social and emotional aspects of type 1 diabetes among children, Jordan said. He said it features three dimensions of support for children with diabetes, their siblings and their parents, which is unique in Texas, according to researches made by the School of Social Work.

With the help of McMurry University, Hardin-Simmons University and Hendricks Medical Center, the School of Social Work plans for support groups to meet twice a month. Children, siblings and parents will attend separate group activities to benefit specific assistance.

As part of these meetings, professionals from Cooks Children Medical Center in Fort Worth will come to Abilene once a month to provide their services.

The goal of the group activities for children with type 1 diabetes is to develop positive coping skills and habits and help them overcome the feeling of being limited, Jordan said.

The School of Social Work is looking for students with type 1 diabetes to volunteer and participate in the program.

Jordan said the diabetes support program will not stop when Daniel and Akers graduate; it will resume in fall 2009 with two new student coordinators and will continue in the future. A golf tournament also is scheduled in March to support the program.