Local 12 year old girl, Charlotte Smith, will see her dream come true this October when she stages her own production of Disney’s Alice in Wonderland Junior1 at the Middlesbrough Theatre. The show has been made possible thanks to a £10,000 grant awarded by The Bayer Diabetes Care DreamFund – a unique national competition offering people with diabetes the chance to apply for a grant to help them make their dreams come true.

Charlotte, from Marton and a pupil at Nunthorpe Secondary School, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was just 6 years old but her family was determined that her condition wouldn’t stop her from living life to the full. Charlotte learned how to monitor her blood glucose levels on a regular basis and now manages her diabetes so well that she is able to regularly ‘indulge’ in her passion for drama and dance. However, Charlotte’s dance school, the Thornton Academy of Performing Arts, has never staged a musical and so Charlotte entered the DreamFund – and won! – inspiring judges with her plan of organising her own musical production.

Now that dream is a reality, as Charlotte and her friends prepare to perform two shows of Alice In Wonderland on Sunday 18th and Monday 19th October 2009. Auditions for the show took place in June and the main cast has been selected. Charlotte has landed the role of Tweedle Dum – and will be joined by a total of 54 children aged from 4 to 19 years old from the Thornton Academy of Performing Arts. Rehearsals are now well underway, with the main characters practising routines at least twice a week in the countdown to the ‘first night’.

As part of Charlotte’s dream, she wanted to invite other children with diabetes from the local area to enjoy the performance. As a result, diabetes nurses at James Cook University Hospital have written to younger patients (aged between 5 and 12 years old) to offer a free ticket to the Musical as well as the chance to take part in a Dance Workshop in September.

Charlotte says; “It’s fantastic to be one of the DreamFund winners – I feel really lucky to have been given this chance to put on such a great show with the help of my friends and teachers at the Dance School. I have never let my diabetes get in the way of having fun – and I hope that this musical will help people to understand that children with diabetes can take part in all the activities that other young people love, as long as they take care of their health. I hope that people will come along to the show and support my ‘dream’. And, it’s not only performing that’s important to me – I also hope that the Show will help to raise at least £4,000 for Diabetes UK.”

Charlotte was presented with her Bayer Diabetes Care DreamFund 2008 prize by GP and broadcaster, Dr Hilary Jones, at a ceremony held at the Tower of London to celebrate World Diabetes Day in November 2008.

A spokesperson from Bayer Diabetes Care comments;” Charlotte’s application was a really inspiring dream for someone so young. For anyone to perform on stage takes courage and a lot of dedication – and it’s even more of an achievement when a young person has the daily challenge of managing their diabetes. We wish all members of the cast the very best of luck and look forward to the Show!”

ENDS
For further information, or to arrange an interview with Charlotte and other members of the cast, please contact Caroline Beswick or Hannah Gee on 020 8786 3860 or email caroline.beswick@trinitypr.co.uk.

Notes to Editors

Bayer Diabetes Care

Bayer Diabetes Care (BDC) is a global market leader in the field of blood glucose monitoring systems. It has provided devices and test strips for blood glucose monitoring for more than 40 years. These products are used by people with diabetes to safely and conveniently monitor their blood glucose levels both at home and on the move. The company offers a range of No Coding™ Technology blood glucose monitors to increase patients’ confidence that results reflect true blood glucose levels. Latest products include:

• DIDGET™, recently launched in the UK and Ireland, is the first and only blood glucose meter for kids with diabetes that connects directly to Nintendo DS™ and DS™ Lite gaming systems. The DIDGET meter is designed to help kids manage this lifelong condition by rewarding them for building consistent blood glucose testing habits and meeting personalised glucose target ranges.
• CONTOUR® blood glucose monitoring system to help patients manage their condition and give them the freedom to enjoy their everyday lives.
• BREEZE®2 blood glucose monitoring system. The meter boasts key features to increase convenience for users including a 10-test disc system that delivers results within just five seconds – ideal for people who want to test on the go.

Type 1 diabetes develops if the body is unable to produce any insulin. This type of diabetes usually appears before the age of 40. Type 1 diabetes is the least common of the two main types and accounts for between 5 – 15% of all people with diabetes.

About Bayer HealthCare

The Bayer Group is a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of health care, nutrition and high-tech materials. Bayer HealthCare, a subsidiary of Bayer AG, is one of the world’s leading, innovative companies in the healthcare and medical products industry and is based in Leverkusen, Germany. The company combines the global activities of the Animal Health, Bayer Schering Pharma, Consumer Care and Medical Care divisions. Bayer HealthCare’s aim is to discover and manufacture products that will improve human and animal health worldwide. Find more information at www.bayerhealthcare.com.

Bayer Schering Pharma is a worldwide leading specialty pharmaceutical company. Its research and business activities are focused on the following areas: Diagnostic Imaging, General Medicine, Specialty Medicine and Women's Healthcare. With innovative products, Bayer Schering Pharma aims for leading positions in specialized markets worldwide. Using new ideas, Bayer Schering Pharma aims to make a contribution to medical progress and strives to improve the quality of life. Find more information at www.bayerscheringpharma.de.

Forward-Looking Statements

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