Created by Sanofi Diabetes,
in collaboration with Ranj Serious Games, to
address the need for greater understanding of Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) amongst
children, parents, caregivers and friends in the school environment, the new Mission T1D Serious Game is now
available, free of charge, from the Apple UK store.
(Note: Right after publishing this post, I was notified by Sanofi-Diabetes that "With regard to the availability of the App there appears to be a delay. We are currently awaiting a confirmation date, which is imminent. As soon as we have it, we will let you know and send you the link.")
T1D affects 400,000 people in the UK and more than 29,000 are children (please find detailed stats under the section About T1D in UK).
(Note: Right after publishing this post, I was notified by Sanofi-Diabetes that "With regard to the availability of the App there appears to be a delay. We are currently awaiting a confirmation date, which is imminent. As soon as we have it, we will let you know and send you the link.")
T1D affects 400,000 people in the UK and more than 29,000 are children (please find detailed stats under the section About T1D in UK).
Mission T1D
aims to improve the understanding of living with diabetes and helps to share
practical information to better support children with diabetes, especially in
their school environment.
Dr.
Sheridan Waldron, Specialist Diabetes Dietitian, says, "Children with
diabetes and their families face many challenges in their daily lives as they
care for a very complex life-long condition. It is essential that children,
parents and caregivers have the knowledge and skills to manage diabetes but they
also need their friends, teachers and other people in the school environment to
understand and support them to care for their diabetes effectively. Sharing information
and fostering a caring environment at school will help children with diabetes
to feel normal, happy and ensure that they reach their full potential in a safe
environment."
Game Context & Goals
The Mission T1D Serious Game by Sanofi Diabetes is aimed at kids with type 1 diabetes and their friends, parents and caregivers.
It takes
place in a school setting and features educational messages adapted for primary
school-age children.
Players
make their way through a number of levels by earning points to advance though
the game, each level providing short, practical and illustrated messages from "the sensei”, a wise old man, about living with Type 1 Diabetes at school along
with a number of educational videos to reinforce key topics. Players can become
a Grand Master at the end of each level after watching educational videos that
explain key subjects including what T1D is about, everyday life with T1D, what
is hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia and how to t have a healthy diet. Players are
also invited to test their knowledge and understanding of living with T1D by
taking part in the quiz.
The game is
designed to allow children living with T1D to share basic knowledge about
diabetes within their school environment in order to dispel any misconceptions.
Furthermore, their peers can feel involved in helping their classmates through
support and a better understanding of what it is like to live with diabetes.
The entire
educational pack (game, videos and quiz), when used in a classroom setting, is
also a useful toolkit for teachers, creating an understanding of diabetes that
can easily be included into the curriculum. The desired outcome is for children
with T1D to feel more supported and understood.
At home,
parents or caregivers can also get involved by talking to their child about the app, finding out how it is being used and encouraging its use in and outside of
school.
The game’s
launch follows less than a year after Sanofi’s last diabetes-focus mobile game, Monster
Manor, which encouraged players to regularly test and log their blood
glucose levels.
Rebecca
Reeve, Head of Professional Relations at Sanofi Diabetes says, "As a
company, we have entered the diabetes gaming arena to improve health outcomes
for children with Type 1 Diabetes. We are committed to making a difference to
the lives of children who are struggling with the challenge of managing
diabetes, especially in an environment where they can easily be made to feel
different. We hope that the teachers, parents and carers for whom this game was
developed will make it their mission to make this game a success."
About T1D in UK
In the UK
400,000 people live with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), 29,000 of these are children.
The UK
ranks the fifth highest in the world for the rate of children diagnosed with T1D.
Of all the countries with data, only Finland, Sweden, Saudi Arabia and Norway
have higher rates than the UK.
Each year
in the UK more than 24 in every 100,000 children aged 14 and younger are told
that they have this form of diabetes, which must be treated with insulin.
The
UK rate is double than in France (12.2 per 100,000) and Italy (12.1 per 100,000).
According to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), the incidence of
type 1 diabetes among children is increasing by 4% year on year, with the
greatest rise in under-fives at a rate of 5% per year.
In addition
to the medical complications that T1D causes, a child diagnosed with type 1 at
the age of five, faces up to 19,000 injections and 50,000 finger pricks by the
time they are 18.
In
2010/2011 the direct and indirect costs of type 1 to the UK were £1.9 billion
and this figure is predicted to rise to a staggering £4.2 billion per year by
2035 if things remain as they are.
UK experts
say it is unclear why the figure is so high. Unlike type 2 diabetes, type 1 is
not linked to obesity or lifestyle; instead, genes do appear to play a role.
About Sanofi
Sanofi is a multinational pharmaceutical
company headquartered in Paris, France, as of 2014 the world's fifth-largest one
by prescription sales.
The company was formed in August 2004 when Sanofi-Synthelabo
acquired Aventis, which were each the product of several previous mergers. The
takeover was finalized on December 31 of that year, giving birth to Sanofi-Aventis. On May 6, 2011, Sanofi-Aventis simplified its name to Sanofi.
Sanofi has
core strengths in the field of healthcare with seven growth platforms: diabetes
solutions, human vaccines, innovative drugs, consumer healthcare, emerging
markets, animal health and the new Genzyme. Sanofi is listed in Paris (EURONEXT:
SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY).
Sanofi Diabetes
strives to help people manage the complex challenge of diabetes by delivering
innovative, integrated and personalized solutions. Driven by valuable insights
that come from listening to and engaging with people living with diabetes,
Sanofi is forming partnerships to offer diagnostics, therapies, services and
devices, including innovative blood glucose monitoring systems.