Sandra J. Hollenberg became a special advocate for people with diabetes after her grandson, Malcolm, was diagnosed with type 1 in 1996 at 2 1/2 years old. She first became a fundraiser and advocate for diabetes research and education. Then her creative juices flowed to create books and games for Malcolm to help him better understand type 1 diabetes.
Malcolm calls his grandmother 'Grandma Sandy', a most fitting name for her website, which debuted in 2001. This special resource offers free downloads of books and games to teach kids about type 1 diabetes. A family effort, Malcolm's brother Paul pitched in to help invent the games.
Checks and Boluses is a new game on the website, based on the traditional Snakes and Ladders board game. Trivia questions related to controlling type 1 are smattered across the game board. My Own Type 1 Diabetes Book is a treasure adults can download for free and print out right from home. Grandma Sandy can even personalize the book, A Special Kind of Pump, for your child ($5.00 fee).
Many of the materials are available in several languages -- please contact Grandma Sandy if you can assist with new translations.
Do not miss this website --it will make you smile. Whether you have a child with type 1 diabetes or simply want to teach young children about the disease, these books and games are fun, empowering tools.
