Young Sydney Ziebell will be one of many Australian youth fronting up to Canberra’s Parliament House next week.
Each of these young people live with Type 1 diabetes and will be there to share their daily battles to Australia’s politicians while they are in Canberra from 25 to 26 November.
In a powerful picture, each of the young people with Type 1 diabetes will represent different electorates, and will march parliament’s halls to lobby for $50 million to further clinical research into diabetes.
“It’ll simplify these young guys’ lives, try and find that cure,” Sydney’s mother Jocelyn Malone said.
“These are the little voices of our little warriors who have to deal with it on a day-to-day basis.”
They will meet with the MPs, take photos with the politicians, sit in meetings about improving life for diabetics and this year will challenge the MPs in a soccer match.
Sydney, who now lives in Kingaroy, has partnered up with Federal member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien and will represent the Wide Bay region and JDRF – the Juvenile Diabetic Research Foundation.
The 14-year-old boy’s mum said Mr O’Brien has been incredibly supportive of their family.
“Sydney has a unique one-on-one relationship with Llew, he’s been linking with Llew since we moved to Murgon,” Ms Malone said.
“He’s done this big journey with us from the word go… every promise he’s made to Sydney he’s kept.”
This is Sydney’s second KITH – Kids In The House – trip to Canberra, previously travelling in 2018.
He will head to Canberra again with his mum and younger brother Braxton.
For Sydney and his family securing the research funding would bring peace of mind.
“It’d be peace of mind once Sydney leaves home he can do everything and manage himself,” his mum explained.
For 12 years the mother has done everything needed to check Sydney is healthy, including 2am fingerprick checks to monitor insulin changes.
“It’s giving these guys a light at the end of the tunnel,” she said.
Sydney was first diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he was two-years-old.
“He’s more or less learned to live with it,” Ms Malone said.
The family has been well supported by JDRF who do “great work” providing insulin pump programs and ongoing support.
Sydney has never let diabetes define who he is as a person. His mum describes Sydney’s busy schedule with modelling, acting and pageants.
