What Diabetes Means To Us

The Hearth Gallery is delighted to welcome you to What Diabetes Means To Us, a research based art exhibition celebrating one hundred years since the discovery of Insulin.

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To honour this important centenary, Professor F. Susan Wong, in collaboration with members of Cardiff University Diabetes Research Group and Artist in Residence, Bridget O’Brien, have transformed the Hearth Gallery into a visually informative exhibition that focuses on the importance of Diabetes research and encourages open discussions about Diabetes and what it means to those who live with it.

Made up of community participation and responses, clinical films, artwork, research and installation, this exhibition is a collaborative achievement and celebration of all the work and dedication towards understanding Diabetes and the remarkable scientific journey one hundred years on since the discovery of Insulin.

Divided into six sections, this exhibition will take you through the History of Diabetes and Insulin, a community installation What Diabetes Means To Me, two Clinical Research Films, information About Diabetes and creative responses by artist Bridget O’Brien Through the Looking Glass and A Window into the Pancreas.

The Exhibition

The seeds of this project, displayed in this exhibition were sown in 2018, when Professor Susan Wong saw some of Bridget’s illustrations for a book project involving women fleeing from conflict and becoming refugees in unfamiliar countries. Susan and Bridget discussed creative ways that lived experience of having diabetes could be shared with the general public in ways that respect the voice of individuals directly affected, whilst also, in the context of diabetes, challenge or correct some of the popular misconceptions.

No one chooses to have any form of diabetes. There are many misconceptions about diabetes, and popular media often portrays diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes as a ‘life-style’ illness. Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are sometimes misunderstood to be the same, and many people have not even heard of gestational diabetes or ‘monogenic’ diabetes that is caused by a change in a single gene. Our exhibition attempts to address some of the misconceptions, by bringing together laboratory researchers, clinical academics, an artist and over 100 people who have some connection with different types of diabetes. In the exhibition we chronicle the history of insulin and how life has changed for people who have lived with Type 1 diabetes for at least 37 and for some over 50 years, as they tell of the changes they have witnessed and experienced. Our artist shares the work she has produced in response to working alongside researchers and people living with diabetes. People who live with diabetes, as well as friends, relatives and health care professionals share their honest thoughts and images describing their experience of diabetes. The researchers and clinical scientists explain something of the research that they do, as well as discuss hopes for the future in terms of clinical trials in 2 short films.

We are delighted to be showcasing this exhibition across World Diabetes Day on the 14th November 2021, with the display at University Hospital Llandough running from 14th October – 15th November 2021.

The whole exhibition will also be available to view online via our website: http://www.cardiffandvale.art/what-diabetes-means-to-us

More information can also be found at Cardiffinsulin100art.com, the official website for the artist in residence research project.

We will also be showcasing the artworks across our social media sites on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

The Hearth Gallery – Arts for Health and Wellbeing – @CAVuhbArts

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A Brief History of Insulin

In 1921, insulin, a life-maintaining hormone, was discovered. From this discovery came the possibility that people who lived with diabetes could use insulin as a treatment. Prior to this, they had all died, relatively soon after diagnosis. A surgeon, Frederick Banting, and medical student Charles Best, built on research that had been done by Minkowski and Von Mering who in 1890 had shown that the pancreas plays a major role in the cause of diabetes. In 1916, the Romanian scientist Paulescu had discovered that an extract of pancreas could normalise blood glucose in dogs, but his efforts had been halted by the First World War. Banting and McCleod were awarded a Nobel prize for their discovery of insulin. It paved the way for the use of insulin in the treatment of diabetes. During the subsequent one hundred years, two other Nobel prizes were also awarded for discoveries related to insulin, and much has changed over these one hundred years.

The Diabetes Research Group

Professor F. Susan Wong and Professor Colin Dayan lead the Diabetes Research Group at Cardiff University, and are part of the clinical team working with people who have diabetes at University Hospital of Wales Cardiff and University Hospital Llandough.

We carry out basic research into the causes and reasons why people develop Type 1 diabetes, and aim to take this research through to clinical trials that will ultimately lead to new treatments and understanding of diabetes. Some of the members of the group work in the laboratory making discoveries in basic science. However, before new ideas for drugs and other treatments can be made available to patients, they need to be tested in clinical trials. In Cardiff, we coordinate studies in adults and children across 26 hospitals across the UK. We are very grateful to all the many patients (more than 200) and volunteers, some of whom don’t have diabetes, who have already taken part in a trial or donated blood for our research.

To Get Involved/find out more about clinical trials at http://www.type1diabetesresearch.org.uk

Artist in Residence – Bridget O’Brien

Bridget O’Brien has long been interested in scientific imaging. She has used x-ray images and images of molecular models in previous works. She is interested in exploring the potential connections between science and art, in terms of creative thoughts and processes. Central to her work is an exploration of the humanity in both art and science – in other words, what both can tell us about being human and the human condition. Collaboration is very important to Bridget. She believes that magic happens when seemingly different elements, people and thinking come together in creative projects.

Bridget studied at Leeds College of Art and has an M.A. in Feminism and Visual Arts with Art Practice from Leeds University. Bridget has worked as a freelance artist and community arts practitioner for many years. She is a Children’s Rights and Engagement worker and is currently studying to become a Therapeutic Arts and Wellbeing Practitioner.

Insulin and Diabetes – 100 years.

Insulin is a very important hormone that helps us regulate metabolism in the body.  We cannot live without it, and when insulin is not produced in a sufficient amount, or it does not work very well within the body, various forms of the group of conditions that we call ‘Diabetes mellitus’ (meaning ‘sugar in the urine’) occur.  

Discoveries relating to insulin, which paved the way for it to be used to treat diabetes, were first made in 1921-1922, and we are now 100 years on from this.  Prior to that early work, people with some types of diabetes, particularly Type 1 diabetes, would have died soon after diagnosis.  We chronicle the history of insulin and diabetes, over the last 100 years, and how life has changed for people who have lived with Type 1 diabetes for at least 37 and for some over 50 years, as they tell of the changes they have witnessed and experienced.

Whilst insulin is life-saving, and we cannot exist without it, the forms in which insulin has been used as therapy for diabetes have changed over the years.  Whilst it sustains life, replacing insulin in people who cannot make enough insulin is not a cure. We hope that in the years to come, we will be continuing to work to change life for the better, and design ways to replace production of insulin by the body, and to prevent loss and preserve these insulin-producing cells within the body. 

We particularly thank the individuals living with Type 1 diabetes who have contributed to this history of insulin, and generously gave their time and insights to help us understand the advances in knowledge and technology.  We celebrate this important hormone, insulin, whilst acknowledging that there is still more to learn, more to be discovered, and more to be done for those who live with diabetes.

What Diabetes Means To Me

For World Diabetes Day 2019, people with diabetes and their families joined a workshop with researchers from the Diabetes Research Group to explore ‘What diabetes means to me’.  In February 2020, people living with Type 1 Diabetes attended a workshop to find out about diabetes research and also tell us what diabetes meant to them.  In May 2020, early in the COVID19 pandemic we sent out an invitation for anyone with a connection to diabetes, to send us an image and a comment to describe what diabetes meant to them.

All 108 images that were produced form the collective piece ‘What Diabetes Means To Me’.  The images and comments have been displayed on our website Cardiffinsulin100art.com prior to being formatted for this exhibition.  Every piece that was sent to us was put into a format, using the proportions of an enlarged glass microscope slide.

The participants range in age from 3 to 84 years old, and we were sent images from Wales, China, India, Italy, USA, Scotland and England.  The contributions are from people who live with Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes and gestational diabetes, their friends, families and health care professionals who work with people who live with all these forms of diabetes – anyone with a connection to diabetes.

Many thanks to everyone who has taken part.

Clinical Trials in Cardiff for Type 1 Diabetes

The Type 1 Diabetes UK Immunotherapy Research Consortium is led by Cardiff University and has developed a network of hospitals and laboratories throughout the UK, to undertake research into type 1 diabetes.

Research provides the evidence we need to make improvements to treatments and services.  We are working together to discover and to develop new treatments for type 1 diabetes through research.

Clinical Trials (treatment trials and monitoring studies)

To find better treatments we test new medicines in clinical trials. Our aim is to give as many people as possible with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes the opportunity to take part in research and be involved in treatment trials or monitoring studies.

Diabetes research would not be possible without the support of people with diabetes and their families. Research participants play an important role in helping to prevent diabetes, to develop new and better treatments and to potentially find a cure.

Mahn’s story of living with Type 1 Diabetes

Mahn, who is shown in our poster shares his story and talks about the experiences of his diagnosis, treatment, living with type 1 diabetes and being involved in a clinical trial. You can scan the QR code on the poster to read his full story.

What if I don’t want type 1 diabetes?

In addition to carrying out research on people who have type 1 diabetes, we are working on prevention and screening studies with relatives of people with T1D, to predict who is likely to develop type 1 diabetes in the future and to try to delay the onset. We are also planning to develop a screening programme for the general population in the future to predict who is likely to get type 1 diabetes. 

In the animated film, you can hear from children who have type 1 diabetes and their brothers and sisters who have taken part in trials.

Type 1 diabetes – research at Cardiff 

Alexander Smith, a volunteer, and Alexander Voisey, a research technician with the Diabetes Research Group, interviewed members of the group to find out about some of the research into Type 1 Diabetes taking place in Cardiff University.

Through the Looking Glass 

Part One & Part Two

Bridget O’Brien

I have had the privilege of working alongside members of the Cardiff University Diabetes Research Group whilst completing an art residency in their department. I have been fascinated by a microscopic world they have opened up to me. Like Alice in Wonderland, I have stepped through that looking glass and been shown a world that exists beyond the naked eye. However, looking down into the microscope is one thing, making sense of what you are looking at is another story. These two paintings are my response to what I have seen and gained knowledge of, during my residency. I have also had the privilege of meeting and listening to people who live with Type 1 diabetes, upon diagnosis they were thrown into a different world that was not of their choosing. They too have had to make sense of their different world, in which they must do the thinking for their bodies that others without Type 1 diabetes take for granted.

Thank you to everyone who has shared their knowledge, experience and time with me.

To all those people who attended workshops and open evenings and to:

Professor Susan Wong, Dr.James Pearson, Dr. Joanne Boldison, Dr. Stephanie Hanna, Dr. Emma Robinson, Dr. Wendy Powell, and Dr.Pia Leete (Exeter University)

A Window into the Pancreas

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The pancreas lies deep within the body, behind the stomach, which makes it difficult to study.  The cells that produce insulin are found in islands in the pancreas, called the Islets of Langerhans. Using microscope technology and because of the very generous gift of pancreases from people who have died, both those who have had type 1 diabetes, as well as those who have not, scientists can study these insulin-producing cells. 

This work is made up of 300 hand-painted microscope slides. Each slide represents a person who donated their pancreas for study.  Using 4 confocal microscopic images, produced by Dr Pia Leete (Exeter University), I have painted my impressions of Dr Leete’s images at different scales.  Her confocal microscopic images showed islets of Langerhans under attack by T white blood cells in people with type 1 diabetes.  The donations are kept in the Exeter Archival Diabetes Biobank, originally collected from the 1980’s by Professor Alan Foulis, a pathologist in Scotland.  

Each of the painted slides has anonymised information about the person who donated the pancreas.   Those with earlier dates often died very young, some close to diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes.  As advances have been made in treatment of diabetes, the time between diagnosis and death has become much longer, and this is reflected in the information on the glass slides.  More people live with Type 1 diabetes for 50, 60 and 70 years than ever before.  

We sometimes forget how amazing the human body is.

What happens in the pancreas and how vital an organ it is,

is not usually the focus of everyday life until something goes wrong.

‘A Window into the Pancreas’

reminds us all just how truly amazing and

delicately balanced the unseen processes of the human body are.

I dedicate this artwork to the 300 individuals and their families, who generously donated the pancreases. These donations have enabled so many insights into the nature of type 1 diabetes.

By Artist Bridget O’Brien

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Beth mae Diabetes yn ei Olygu i Ni 2021

Mae’n bleser gan Oriel yr Aelwyd eich croesawu i Beth mae Diabetes yn ei olygu i ni, arddangosfa gelf yn seiliedig ar ymchwil sy’n dathlu cant o flynyddoedd ers darganfod Inswlin.

I anrhydeddu’r canmlwyddiant pwysig hwn, mae’r Athro F. Susan Wong, ar y cyd ag aelodau o Grŵp Ymchwil Diabetes Prifysgol Caerdydd a’r Artist Preswyl, Bridget O’Brien, wedi trawsnewid Oriel yr Aelwyd yn arddangosfa weledol llawn gwybodaeth sy’n canolbwyntio ar bwysigrwydd ymchwil Diabetes, ac yn annog trafodaethau agored am Ddiabetes a’r hyn mae’n ei olygu i’r rhai sy’n byw gyda’r clefyd.

Yn cynnwys cyfranogiad ac ymatebion gan y gymuned, ffilmiau clinigol, gwaith celf, ymchwil a gosodiadau, mae’r arddangosfa hon yn gyflawniad ar y cyd ac yn ddathliad o’r holl waith a’r ymdrech i ddeall Diabetes a’r daith wyddonol anhygoel cant o flynyddoedd ers darganfod Inswlin.

Wedi’i rhannu’n chwe adran, bydd yr arddangosfa hon yn eich arwain drwy Hanes Diabetes ac Inswlin, gosodiad cymunedol Beth mae Diabetes yn ei Olygu i Fi, dwy Ffilm Ymchwil Clinigol, gwybodaeth Ynglŷn â Diabetes ac ymatebion creadigol gan yr artist Bridget O’Brien Trwy’r Drych a Dysgu am y Pancreas.

Yr Arddangosfa

Cafodd hadau’r prosiect hwn, a welir yn yr arddangosfa, eu hau yn 2018, pan welodd yr Athro Susan Wong rai o ddarluniau Bridget ar gyfer prosiect llyfr a oedd yn ymwneud â menywod yn ffoi rhag gwrthdaro ac yn dod yn ffoaduriaid mewn gwledydd anghyfarwydd. Gwnaeth Susan a Bridget drafod ffyrdd creadigol y gallai profiad personol o gael diabetes gael eu rhannu gyda’r cyhoedd mewn ffyrdd sy’n parchu llais yr unigolion yr effeithir arnynt yn uniongyrchol, ac ar yr un pryd, yng nghyd-destun diabetes, herio neu gywiro rhai o’r camsyniadau poblogaidd.

Nid oes unrhyw un yn dewis cael unrhyw fath o ddiabetes. Mae llawer o gamsyniadau ynghylch diabetes, ac mae cyfryngau poblogaidd yn aml yn portreadu diabetes, yn enwedig diabetes math 2 fel salwch ‘ffordd o fyw’. Weithiau, ceir camddealltwriaeth bod diabetes Math 1 a Math 2 yr un peth, ac efallai na fydd llawer o bobl hyd yn oed wedi clywed am ddiabetes yn ystod beichiogrwydd neu ddiabetes ‘monogenig’ a achosir gan newid mewn genyn sengl. Mae ein harddangosfa yn ceisio mynd i’r afael â rhai o’r camsyniadau, drwy ddod ag ymchwilwyr labordy, academyddion clinigol, artist a dros 100 o bobl sydd â rhyw gysylltiad â mathau gwahanol o ddiabetes at ei gilydd. Yn yr arddangosfa, rydym yn amlinellu hanes inswlin a sut y mae bywyd wedi newid i bobl sydd wedi byw gyda diabetes Math 1 am o leiaf 37 o flynyddoedd, a dros 50 i rai, wrth iddynt sôn am y newidiadau maent wedi’u gweld a’u profi. Mae ein hartist yn rhannu’r gwaith mae wedi’i gynhyrchu mewn ymateb i weithio ochr yn ochr ag ymchwilwyr a phobl sy’n byw gyda diabetes. Mae pobl sy’n byw gyda diabetes, yn ogystal â ffrindiau, perthnasau a gweithwyr gofal iechyd proffesiynol, yn rhannu eu meddyliau gonest a delweddau sy’n disgrifio eu profiad o ddiabetes. Mae’r ymchwilwyr a’r gwyddonwyr clinigol yn egluro rhywfaint am yr ymchwil maent yn ei wneud, yn ogystal â thrafod gobeithion ar gyfer y dyfodol o ran treialon clinigol mewn dwy ffilm fer.

Mae’n bleser gennym gyflwyno’r arddangosfa hon yn ystod Diwrnod Diabetes y Byd ar 14 Tachwedd 2021, gyda’r arddangosfa yn Ysbyty Athrofaol Llandochau yn cael ei chynnal rhwng 14 Hydref – 15 Tachwedd 2021.

Bydd yr arddangosfa gyfan hefyd ar gael i’w gweld ar-lein drwy ein gwefan: http://www.cardiffandvale.art/what-diabetes-means-to-us

Ceir mwy o wybodaeth hefyd ar Cardiffinsulin100art.com, y wefan swyddogol ar gyfer y prosiect ymchwil artist preswyl.

Byddwn ni hefyd yn arddangos y gwaith celf ar draws ein safleoedd ar y cyfryngau cymdeithasol ar Facebook, Instagram a Twitter.

Celfyddydau ar gyfer Iechyd a Lles – Oriel yr Aelwyd – @CAVUHBArts

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Hanes Cryno Inswlin

Yn 1921, darganfuwyd inswlin, hormon sy’n cynnal bywyd. Yn dilyn y darganfyddiad hwn, sylweddolwyd y gallai pobl sy’n byw gyda diabetes ddefnyddio inswlin fel triniaeth. Cyn hyn, roeddent oll wedi marw, yn gymharol fuan ar ôl cael diagnosis. Gwnaeth llawfeddyg, Frederick Banting, a myfyriwr meddygol Charles Best, adeiladu ar ymchwil a wnaed eisoes gan Minkowski a Von Mering a oedd, yn 1890, wedi dangos bod y pancreas yn chwarae rôl allweddol yn yr hyn sy’n achosi diabetes. Yn 1916, roedd y gwyddonwr Rwmanaidd Paulescu wedi darganfod y gallai echdynnyn o’r pancreas normaleiddio glwcos gwaed mewn cŵn, ond cafodd ei ymdrechion eu hatal gan y Rhyfel Byd Cyntaf. Dyfarnwyd gwobr Nobel i Banting a McCleod am iddynt ddarganfod inswlin. Gwnaeth baratoi’r ffordd ar gyfer defnyddio inswlin i drin diabetes. Yn ystod y can mlynedd ddilynol, dyfarnwyd dwy wobr Nobel arall ar gyfer darganfyddiadau’n ymwneud ag inswlin, ac mae llawer wedi newid dros y can mlynedd hyn.

Y Grŵp Ymchwil Diabetes

Gwnaeth yr Athro F. Susan Wong a’r Athro Colin Dayan arwain y Grŵp Ymchwil Diabetes ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd, ac maent yn rhan o’r tîm clinigol sy’n gweithio gyda phobl sydd â diabetes yn Ysbyty Athrofaol Cymru ac Ysbyty Athrofaol Llandochau.

Rydym yn cynnal gwaith ymchwil sylfaenol i achosion diabetes Math 1 a’r rhesymau pam mae pobl yn ei ddatblygu, ac yn anelu at ddefnyddio’r ymchwil hwn ar gyfer treialon clinigol a fydd, yn y pen draw, yn arwain at driniaethau newydd a dealltwriaeth o ddiabetes. Mae rhai aelodau o’r grŵp yn gweithio yn y labordy yn gwneud darganfyddiadau mewn gwyddoniaeth sylfaenol. Fodd bynnag, cyn y gellir sicrhau bod syniadau newydd am gyffuriau a thriniaethau eraill ar gael i gleifion, mae angen iddynt gael eu profi mewn treialon clinigol. Yng Nghaerdydd, rydym yn cydlynu astudiaethau ymhlith oedolion a phlant ar draws 26 ysbyty yn y DU. Rydym yn ddiolchgar iawn i’r holl gleifion (dros 200) a gwirfoddolwyr, nad oes diabetes ar rai ohonynt, sydd eisoes wedi cymryd rhan mewn treial neu wedi rhoi gwaed ar gyfer ein hymchwil.

I gymryd rhan/cael rhagor o wybodaeth am dreialon clinigol ewch iwww.type1diabetesresearch.org.uk

Artist Preswyl – Bridget O’Brien

Mae Bridget O’Brien wedi bod â diddordeb mewn delweddu gwyddonol ers amser hir. Mae wedi defnyddio delweddau pelydr-X a delweddau o fodelau moleciwlaidd yn ei gwaith blaenorol. Mae ganddi ddiddordeb mewn archwilio’r cysylltiadau posibl rhwng gwyddoniaeth a chelf, o ran meddyliau a phrosesau creadigol. Yn ganolog i’w gwaith mae archwilio’r natur ddynol mewn celf a gwyddoniaeth – mewn geiriau eraill, yr hyn y mae’r ddau yn gallu ei ddweud wrthym am fod yn fodau dynol a chyflwr bodau dynol. Mae cydweithredu yn bwysig iawn i Bridget. Mae’n credu bod yr hud yn digwydd pan fydd elfennau, pobl a meddylfryd sy’n ymddangos yn wahanol yn dod at ei gilydd mewn prosiectau creadigol.

Astudiodd Bridget yng Ngholeg Celf Leeds ac mae ganddi M.A mewn Ffeministiaeth a’r Celfyddydau Gweledol gydag Ymarfer Celf o Brifysgol Leeds. Mae Bridget wedi gweithio fel artist llawrydd ac ymarferwr celfyddydau cymunedol ers llawer o flynyddoedd. Mae’n weithiwr Hawliau Plant ac Ymgysylltu ac mae’n astudio i fod yn Ymarferydd y Celfyddydau Therapiwtig a Lles ar hyn o bryd.

Inswlin a diabetes – 100 mlynedd.

Mae inswlin yn hormon pwysig iawn sy’n ein helpu ni i reoleiddio metaboledd yn y corff.  Ni allwn fyw hebddo, a phan na chaiff digon o inswlin ei gynhyrchu, neu os nad yw’n gweithio’n dda iawn o fewn y corff, arweinir at ffurfiau amrywiol o grŵp o gyflyrau a elwir yn ‘Diabetes mellitus’ (sy’n golygu ‘siwgr yn yr wrin’).

Cafodd darganfyddiadau sy’n ymwneud ag inswlin, a arweiniodd ato’n cael ei ddefnyddio i drin diabetes, eu gwneud am y tro cyntaf yn 1921-1922, 100 mlynedd yn ôl erbyn hyn.  Cyn y gwaith cynnar hwnnw, byddai pobl â rhai mathau o ddiabetes, diabetes Math 1 yn benodol, wedi marw yn fuan ar ôl cael diagnosis.  Rydym yn amlinellu hanes inswlin a diabetes dros y 100 mlynedd diwethaf, a sut y mae bywyd wedi newid i bobl sydd wedi byw gyda diabetes Math 1 am o leiaf 37 o flynyddoedd, a dros 50 i rai, wrth iddynt sôn am y newidiadau maent wedi’u gweld a’u profi.

Er bod inswlin yn achub bywydau, ac na allwn oroesi hebddo, mae’r ffordd y mae inswlin wedi cael ei ddefnyddio fel therapi ar gyfer diabetes wedi newid dros y blynyddoedd.  Er ei fod yn cynnal bywyd, nid yw rhoi inswlin i bobl sydd ddim yn gallu creu digon ohono yn ffordd o’u hiachau.  Rydym yn gobeithio yn y blynyddoedd i ddod y byddwn ni’n parhau i weithio i newid bywyd er gwell, a dylunio ffyrdd o ddisodli creu inswlin gan y corff, ac osgoi colled a chadw’r celloedd hyn sy’n creu inswlin yn y corff.

Rydym yn diolch yn arbennig i’r unigolion sy’n byw â diabetes Math 1 sydd wedi cyfrannu at yr hanes hwn am inswlin, am roi o’u hamser a’u harbenigedd i’n helpu ni i ddeall datblygiadau mewn gwybodaeth a thechnoleg.  Rydym yn dathlu’r hormon pwysig hwn, inswlin, wrth gydnabod bod mwy i’w ddysgu, mwy i’w ddarganfod, a mwy i’w wneud ar gyfer y rhai hynny sy’n byw gyda diabetes.

Beth mae Diabetes yn ei Olygu i Fi

Ar gyfer Diwrnod Diabetes y Byd 2019, bu pobl â diabetes a’u teuluoedd yn cymryd rhan mewn gweithdy gydag ymchwilwyr o’r Grŵp Ymchwil Diabetes i ystyried ‘Beth mae diabetes yn ei olygu i fi’.  Ym mis Chwefror 2020, aeth pobl sy’n byw â Diabetes Math 1 i weithdy i ganfod rhagor am ymchwil diabetes a hefyd i ddweud wrthym beth mae diabetes yn ei olygu iddyn nhw.  Ym mis Mai 2020, yn gynnar yn ystod pandemig COVID-19, gwnaethom anfon gwahoddiad i unrhyw un sydd â chysylltiad â diabetes yn gofyn iddynt anfon llun a sylw i ddisgrifio beth yw ystyr diabetes iddyn nhw.

Mae pob un o’r 108 o luniau wedi’u cynnwys yn y casgliad ‘Beth mae Diabetes yn ei Olygu i Fi’.  Cafodd y lluniau a’r sylwadau eu harddangos ar ein gwefan Cardiffinsulin100art.com cyn cael eu fformatio ar gyfer yr arddangosfa hon.  Defnyddiwyd pob darn a anfonwyd i ni yn y fformat, gan ddefnyddio cyfrannau sleid microsgop gwydr chwyddedig.

Roedd y rhai a oedd yn cymryd rhan yn amrywio mewn oedran o 3 i 84 oed, a chafodd lluniau eu hanfon o Gymru, Tsieina, India, yr Eidal, UDA, yr Alban a Lloegr.  Mae’r cyfraniadau yn dod gan bobl sy’n byw â diabetes Math 1, diabetes Math 2, cyn-diabetes a diabetes yn ystod beichiogrwydd, eu ffrindiau, teuluoedd a gweithwyr gofal iechyd proffesiynol sy’n gweithio gyda phobl sy’n byw gyda’r holl fathau yma o ddiabetes – unrhyw un sydd â chysylltiad â diabetes.

Diolch yn fawr i bawb sydd wedi cymryd rhan.

Treialon Clinigol yng Nghaerdydd ar gyfer Diabetes Math 1

Caiff Consortiwm Ymchwil Imiwnotherapi Diabetes Math 1 y DU ei arwain gan Brifysgol Caerdydd ac mae wedi datblygu rhwydwaith o ysbytai a labordai ledled y DU i ymgymryd ag ymchwil i ddiabetes math 1.

Mae ymchwil yn darparu’r dystiolaeth sydd ei hangen arnom i wneud gwelliannau i driniaethau a gwasanaethau.  Rydym yn gweithio gyda’n gilydd i ddarganfod a datblygu triniaethau newydd ar gyfer diabetes math 1 trwy ymchwil.

Treialon Clinigol (treialon triniaeth ac astudiaethau monitro)

Er mwyn dod o hyd i driniaethau gwell, rydym yn profi meddyginiaethau newydd mewn treialon clinigol.  Ein nod yw rhoi’r cyfle i gymaint o bobl â phosibl sydd newydd gael diagnosis o ddiabetes math 1 i gymryd rhan mewn ymchwil a bod yn rhan o dreialon triniaeth neu astudiaethau monitro.

Ni fyddai ymchwil diabetes yn bosibl heb gefnogaeth pobl â diabetes a’u teuluoedd. Mae gan y rhai sy’n cymryd rhan mewn ymchwil rôl bwysig yn helpu i atal diabetes, datblygu triniaethau newydd a gwell ac, o bosibl, dod o hyd i ffordd o’i wella.

Stori Mahn o fyw gyda Diabetes Math 1

Mae Mahn, sydd i’w weld ar ein poster, yn rhannu ei stori ac yn siarad am ei brofiadau o’i ddiagnosis, triniaeth, byw gyda diabetes math 1 a bod yn rhan o dreial clinigol.  Gallwch sganio’r cod QR ar y poster i ddarllen ei stori lawn.

Beth os nad ydw i eisiau diabetes math 1?

Yn ogystal â chynnal ymchwil ar bobl sydd â diabetes math 1, rydym yn gweithio ar astudiaethau atal a sgrinio gyda pherthnasau pobl sydd â diabetes math 1, i ragweld pwy sy’n debygol o ddatblygu diabetes math 1 yn y dyfodol ac i geisio gohirio dyfodiad y clefyd.  Rydym hefyd yn bwriadu datblygu rhaglen sgrinio i’r boblogaeth gyffredinol yn y dyfodol i ragweld pwy sy’n debygol o gael diabetes math 1.

Yn y ffilm sydd wedi’i hanimeiddio, gallwch glywed gan blant sydd â diabetes math 1 a’u brodyr a chwiorydd sydd wedi cymryd rhan yn y treialon.

Diabetes Math 1 – ymchwil yng Nghaerdydd

Bu Alexander Smith, gwirfoddolwr, ac Alexander Voisey, technegydd ymchwil gyda Grŵp Ymchwil Diabetes, yn cyfweld ag aelodau o’r grŵp i ddysgu am yr ymchwil i Ddiabetes Math 1 sy’n digwydd ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd.

Trwy’r Drych Rhan Un

Trwy’r Drych Rhan Dau

Bridget O’Brien

Rydw i wedi cael y fraint o weithio ochr yn ochr ag aelodau o Grŵp Ymchwil Diabetes Prifysgol Caerdydd, wrth gwblhau fy nghyfnod preswyl celf yn eu hadran. Rydw i wedi fy nghyfareddu gan y byd microsgopig y maent wedi fy nghyflwyno iddo. Fel Alice in Wonderland, rydw i wedi camu trwy’r drych a chael gweld byd sy’n bodoli y tu hwnt i’r llygad dynol. Fodd bynnag, mae edrych i mewn i’r microsgop yn un peth, mae gwneud synnwyr o’r hyn rydych chi’n ei weld yn rhywbeth hollol wahanol. Y ddau baentiad yma yw fy ymateb i’r hyn a welais a’r hyn a ddysgais yn ystod fy nghyfnod preswyl. Rydw i hefyd wedi cael y fraint o gwrdd a gwrando ar bobl sy’n byw â diabetes math 1, lle cawsant eu taflu i fyd gwahanol ar ôl cael diagnosis na fyddent wedi’i ddewis. Maent hefyd wedi gorfod gwneud synnwyr o’u byd gwahanol, lle mae’n rhaid iddynt feddwl ar ran eu corff mewn ffordd y byddai eraill heb ddiabetes Math 1 yn ei gymryd yn ganiataol.

Diolch i bawb sydd wedi rhannu eu gwybodaeth, profiad ac amser gyda fi.

I’r holl bobl hynny a ddaeth i weithdai a nosweithiau agored ac i: Yr Athro Susan Wong, Dr. James Pearson, Dr. Joanne Boldison , Dr. Stephanie Hanna, Dr. Emma Robinson, Dr. Wendy Powell, a Dr. Pia Leete (Prifysgol Caerwysg)

Dysgu am y Pancreas

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Mae’r pancreas yn byw yn nyfnderoedd y corff, y tu ôl i’r stumog, sy’n golygu ei fod yn anodd ei astudio.  Mae’r celloedd sy’n creu inswlin i’w canfod yn ynysoedd y pancreas, a elwir yn Ynysoedd Langerhans.  Gan ddefnyddio technoleg microsgop, a phancreasau a roddwyd gan bobl sydd wedi marw, rhai â diabetes math 1 a rhai heb, mae gwyddonwyr yn gallu astudio’r celloedd hyn sy’n creu inswlin.

Mae’r gwaith yn cynnwys 300 o sleidiau microsgop wedi’u paentio â llaw.  Mae pob sleid yn cynrychioli person sydd wedi rhoi ei bancreas i gael ei astudio.  Gan ddefnyddio 4 llun microsgopig cydffocal, a gynhyrchwyd gan Dr Pia Leete (Prifysgol Caerwysg), rydw i wedi paentio fy argraffiadau o luniau Dr Leete ar raddfeydd gwahanol.  Dangosodd ei lluniau microsgopig cydffocal yr Ynysoedd Langerhans dan ymosodiad celloedd gwaed gwyn T mewn pobl â diabetes math 1.  Caiff y rhoddion eu cadw ym Manc Bio Diabetes Archifol Caerwysg, wedi’u casglu’n wreiddiol yn y 1980au gan yr Athro Alan Foulis, patholegydd yn yr Alban.

Mae gan bob un o’r sleidiau sydd wedi’u paentio wybodaeth ddienw am y person a roddodd y pancreas.  Mae’r rhai hynny â dyddiadau cynharach yn aml wedi marw’n ifanc iawn, rhai yn agos at ddiagnosis o ddiabetes Math 1.  Wrth i ni weld datblygiadau o ran trin diabetes, mae’r amser rhwng diagnosis a marwolaeth wedi mynd yn llawer hirach, a chaiff hyn ei adlewyrchu gan y wybodaeth ar y sleidiau gwydr.  Mae mwy o bobl yn byw â diabetes Math 1 am 50, 60 a 70 o flynyddoedd nag erioed o’r blaen.

Rydym weithiau’n anghofio pa mor anhygoel yw’r corff dynol.

Nid yw’r hyn sy’n digwydd yn y pancreas, nag ystyriaeth o ba mor hanfodol ydyw fel organ,

fel arfer yn cael sylw ym mywyd bob dydd tan i rywbeth fynd o’i le.

Mae ‘Dysgu am y Pancreas’

yn ein hatgoffa ni i gyd o ba mor anhygoel a

manwl gytbwys yw prosesau anweledig y corff dynol.

Hoffwn gyflwyno’r gwaith celf hwn i’r 300 o unigolion a’u teuluoedd, a fuodd mor hael yn rhoi eu pancreasau.  Mae’r rhoddion hyn wedi ein galluogi i daflu goleuni pellach ar natur diabetes math 1.

Gan yr Artist Bridget O’Brien