a community built by Liliana Moldoveanu, mother, journalist and NGO leader from Constanta, Romania.
Liliana Moldoveanu is the engine behind SWEET LAND ASSOCIATION . Here is her story :
Alexandru was a cheerful child, with habits of making others laugh, laugh. The first grandchild in the family was wanted, loved and cuddled... Maybe too spoiled? Because he had a tendency to gain weight, which I attributed to a less varied diet, because we are talking about the years after 89...
Born into a family of parents who talk on the radio, he believed that anyone with a job, only on the radio could work.
The untimely disappearance of my father in 2001 did not diminish his smile, everything seemed very good, he even often asked me why I was sad...?
In 2006, that summer he began to lose weight, get tired, then urinate often and drink plenty of fluids. My GP told me not to worry, that she was growing, to be glad she was entering preadolescence, to take vitamins. In the opening ceremony at the school at that time, she almost fainted.
Then came September 25, at which point I actually arrived at the hospital. His emergency blood sugar was 330. I thought he would recover. I went with Alexandru to the pediatric department, he was drowsy, he was not well at all. Now I know she was in a diabetic precoma.
Dr. said "quick, insulin 11 units."
Insulin? My child? Is it a bad dream?
The sound of the pen discharged for the first time into my boy's arm has remained with me and will remain in my memory!
They started – interning with him, learning about type 1 diabetes, I didn't understand anything, what carbohydrates were??? Then, all stages: denial, fear, negotiation with the Divine, acceptance was far away...
Then 2 years passed, with an hourly lifestyle, rigorous schedule, going to the Art High School with the menu, meals at fixed hours, 4 injections daily, tests if needed, and especially at night at 3 am.
Only in 2008, I managed to mobilize for the establishment of the Association. The thought belongs to Dr. Cristina Mihai, pediatrician diabetologist, talented professional.
This is how he answered my question how I can help – by setting up an Association – we thought of the name together.
We had an official opening on World Diabetes Day, November 14, 2008, a very big event – with doctors from all pathologies, puppet actors, teachers, students, journalists.
Years of activities and projects followed for children and young people with diabetes in CTA County, fights for their rights as patients, knowledge and improvement of legislation, partnerships with similar associations in the country, participation in Diabetes Federations and Volunteering. That's how he met Lavinia, his current girlfriend, his partner, with diabetes since one year old, through the project for teenagers "Sweet Horizon".
I had a wonderful experience with them at The Voice of Romania, when my son signed up and passed the pre-selections and selections, singing casually in front of an extremely large audience, meaning an entire country. Now Alex is a music teacher and Lavinia a biologist in the lab, both master students...
Every day I tell myself how strong these children are who have life in their own hands, they are the ones who motivate me to move forward with Sweet Land initiatives and projects. A joy, so D-Path !!
Facts
· Sweet Land Constanța is an NGO , not for profit organization set up in 2008
· Mission : The SWEET LAND should not be forbidden to anyone
· Membership: 114 members : children and youth insulin dependent from Constanta county, parents, medical staff , students, volunteers, and journalists
· A member the Romanian Federation of Associations for people with diabetes and The Volum Federation of Romanian volunteer organizations
· Work : volunteer
· Goals: inform, educate, assist children, youth dependent on insulin and their families; bridge patients- medics – families and community; ensure easy access to treatment meant to prevent complications; defend children’s and youth rights as patients; empower members for volunteer work; experience exchange at a national and international level
Activities:
· Charity concert and scientific session
· Courses on diabetes and nutrition
· World diabetes day
· Smile sweetly
· Gala of volunteers
· Information campaigns
· Sweet Horizon” project initiated by „Sweet Land” Constanta in partnership with the County School Inspectorate of Constanţa, CENTRAS-the Resource Volunteer Centre - Constanţa with support from the EU Youth in Action Program; it aimed to increase the socio-professional integration of youth with diabetes both in urban and rural areas. Some of the activities were: Forum theatre as a non- formal learning method which included meetings in 10 high schools /5 in Constanta and 5 in the countryside//Information and fundraising campaigns/Travels to Bucharest to meet insulin dependent persons with outstanding careers in all walks of life (doctors, engineers, social workers, managers)
· Santa at Pediatrics
· Nutrition courses in partnership with the Medical School in Constanta and the Association of medical students and young doctors
· Child diet– the danger in the plate’, the latest in the pediatric nutrition and nutritional problems with children.
· “Art and friendship in the kitchen” of a restaurant – dedicated to youth of 16-30 .
· ‘Watercolors with stars’, painting and art therapy for 5-12 year olds which got the 3rd place at the Health Gala in 2014
· Cooking show
· SPIC 2016 - ’Prevention, information and counseling services’ on diabetes for people in the countryside. (SPIC) a project developed by The Federation of Association for People with Diabetes in cooperatin with the Foundation for Community Care; it started in 2016 and went on for 15 months with activities such as :training 12 volunteers working for the association; PROVIDING tools and prevention measures for the staff of 3 medical dispensary; testing campaigns; concelling people with diabetes at risk; information campaigns in schools and support groups; one day diabetes camp
· ‘Health in the Plate’ project in partnership with the County School Inspectorate, Constanta with support from SN Nuclearelectrica SA.4 months (oct 2022- dec 2022)250 students, 5-8 level and 10 teachers from 5 schools in the county benefited from information campaigns to acquire healthy eating habits. Schools with one insulin dependent child took precedence.