Zenun's Story

Tiny tot Zenun from Middlesborough is 20 months old and has been on an insulin pump since he was born in September last year. Zenun was 9 weeks early and weighed 2lbs 4ozs, just over a bag of sugar!
Straight away Zenun’s tests showed high blood sugars, so he was put onto an insulin pump – doctors confirmed that Zenun was the youngest and smallest baby to ever benefit from a pump. Zenun’s diabetes was caused by a very rare syndrome, and he had some other health problems too. His parents Melanie and Daniel had to wait 13 days before they could first hold him, it was 3 months before he was allowed to go home.

Mum Melanie quickly learnt how to use the Accu-Chek insulin pump - a small device that provides a constant supply of insulin. Melanie explained this helped her to manage Zenun’s diabetes very closely; “Zenun doesn’t bat an eyelid when I put the cannula (a line that delivers insulin) into his leg. The pump is so easy to use as I can control his blood sugars tightly, and I think there’s less chance of making mistakes because he only needs a tiny amount.”

For Zenun the pump is second nature, even though he sometimes likes to chew it! Melanie says “If we take it off for any reason, he naturally tries to put the line back in, or sticks out his leg to help.” His older sister Betzal is not yet 4, and likes to help get his blood glucose meter ready for the tests he needs several times a day.
Zenun’s first birthday was a big event for Melanie: “We celebrated at home and wanted to thank the whole healthcare team who had given us such fantastic support, so I invited them all to our little house – and 126 people came to celebrate including Zenun’s top consultant. We had a face painter and a bouncy castle for the kids.”
Melanie says Zenus is crawling and learning to walk. “Even though Zenun is still tiny, he is a strapping young boy who’s really enjoying life, and I’m excited about our future together.”

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In the UK only 1 in a 1,000 people use an insulin pump. Rather than regular injections of insulin, a pump connected to the body with a cannula provides a regular supply of insulin. Your parents can ask your diabetes nurse or doctor for more information about insulin pumps.