I rise in this house today to inform my colleagues and the people of this province of an initiative which has changed the lives of over 135 children in our province for the better.

In Budget 2007, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador announced that we would cover the cost of insulin pumps and supplies for children with Type I diabetes up to 18 years of age. This strategic investment of $1.4 million resulted in significant and positive improvements in the lives and health of these children.

Type I diabetes, which used to be known as Juvenile Diabetes, means that the body does not produce enough insulin to turn food into energy. Some of the serious complications of this type of diabetes include heart disease, blindness, nerve damage, and kidney damage.

Recent studies have found Insulin pumps to significantly reduce the risk of complications for children with Type I diabetes. The insulin pump also allows children the freedom to be children � to play, attend school and play sports without regularly having to stop for insulin injections.

Since we made this announcement, I have heard many accounts of the incredible positive impact these pumps have had on these children and their families. Parents no longer have to wonder how they will afford to pay for the pump. And, they no longer have to administer multiple injections to their children on a daily basis.

I would like to quote a letter I received form one such parent living on the West Coast. The writer said "The announcement of the Insulin Pump program for children last spring was a welcome relief and an answer to our prayers." This letter was incredibly meaningful for me, as the Minister of Health and Community Services, just as it is for all members of our government, knowing that we are truly making a difference in the lives of these children and families.

2008 04 08                                                     1:45 p.m.