Jesper kept his word

The tournament took place on the weekend 19-20 June in a town called Suchy Las which is located near Poznań. Three age categories competed for the trophies – 2007 and older, 2008-2010, and 2011 and younger. Just like every year, teams from all over the country travelled to Poznań to take part in the championship. Each team has a creative name, such as Sugar Team, which related to the topic of diabetes and added a fun element to the competition.

The Polish championship for children with diabetes isn’t about the results and trophies but about the goal. The objective of the tournament is to prove that even if you have diabetes, you can live and function normally. Jesper Karlström is a perfect example – he has been diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 16.

The Swedish player is proof that health issues don’t mean you cannot make your sporting dreams come true. Throughout his career, Jesper Karlström won, among other trophies, a national championship title. A meeting with the player was a source of inspiration for the children and a motivational boost to keep on working hard and not give up, no matter how many obstacles – health or non-health-related – they face.

Karlström posed for photos with all the teams competing in the tournament and gave an autograph to numerous children. The midfielder even completed a short Polish language course which helped him write a couple of dedications.

It's worth remembering that players with diabetes must be more responsible than their healthy peers. From the moment they are diagnosed, they are taught how to manage it, knowing that it’s a lifelong condition. Diabetics have to administer insulin due to the damaged pancreas and are forced to analyse the ingredients and composition of each food and drink in order to properly calculate the number of insulin units. If the calculations are wrong, the blood sugar level will be too low or too high (depending on whether you consume too much or too little insulin). However, diabetes, like any other health condition, is something you can get used to living with; still, it’s important to adjust your lifestyle accordingly to avoid any complications. When practising sports, diabetics are at risk of hypoglycaemia (too low blood sugar) which can have serious consequences.

Nonetheless, diabetes is not a final sentence and shouldn’t be perceived that way. If it is managed sensibly and correctly, there are absolutely no obstacles to functioning normally or even becoming a professional athlete. Nacho Fernandez is another great example of that – the Real Madrid player has won the most important club competition in Europe – the Champions League – four times in his career.

Whenever Jesper learned about the initiative, he expressed his will to be a part of it. Even during the online meeting, he emphasised his enthusiasm and eagerness to visit the players and watch the tournament. At last, he got to attend the event and made the day for many children.