A series of books to help support the psychological needs of people living with diabetes have been given a major boost by experts at Swansea University.
Clinical psychologist Dr Rose Stewart, who works for the All-Wales Diabetes Implementation Group, published a selection books which concentrate on the psychological side of having diabetes.
Her Talking Type 1 books are aimed at children, adults and families living with diabetes. There are currently four books in the series - Diabetes Burnout, Not OK with Needles?, Diabetes Distress & Burnout for Parents & Carers and the children’s book, How to Manage a Mammoth.
The books were an immediate hit with the NHS and have been distributed in all Welsh diabetes clinics. It wasn’t long before NHS staff across the UK as well as people living in other parts of the world were asking for copies.
To help support this growing interest, she approached AgorIP, the Swansea University-based organisation which helps businesses realise the potential of their ideas.
Dr Stewart, an honorary senior tutor at the University, said: “AgorIP helped us to take the next step with our project and navigate the confusing world of contracts and publishing agreements. The team were really friendly and took the time to understand exactly what we needed.”
AgorIP brings clinicians, academics and businesses together to pioneer research into cutting-edge technologies and drive commercial success with Swansea University. It is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government.
AgorIP stepped in to negotiate a contract between Dr Stewart and her team and Cambridge University Press.
Yvonne Jones, one of the Technology Transfer Managers who is assisting Talking Type 1, said: “It has been a pleasure to help Rose negotiate a publishing contract for her books. These materials will soon be distributed worldwide, helping many more children and their families cope with diabetes.”
Already NHS England has placed an over for more than 300,000 books. Profits from the books will go back into the All Wales Diabetes Implementation Group, to help fund and continue the project and support more people in Wales living with diabetes.
There are another two booklets in the pipeline – Adjusting to Life with Diabetes, for people who have recently been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, and another book for children, How to Handle a Hedgehog.
Dr Stewart added: “It’s been really exciting to see Talking Type 1 develop from a passion project to an international book range. We hope that these books can help people with diabetes to access some of the psychological support that they need, and realise that they are not alone.”
The books are free for anyone in Wales. If you would to access them please contact your Diabetes Specialist Nurse.
For further details about AgorIP and how it can help your project contact Laura Penry