Tuam schoolgirl shares life with diabetes in TV documentary

Hopes film will raise awareness

A young Tuam girl living with Type 1 diabetes is set to appear in a documentary on RTÉ One, helping to raise awareness of the condition.

Diagnosed in February 2022 at just eight years of age, Faye Burke is one of the faces featured in the documentary ‘Imperfect Days’, which examines the role of clinical trials and research in diabetes care.

Faye and her family have already spent over four years managing the condition. They believe that the documentary will help people understand what Type 1 diabetes really is.

Once known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition which stops the pancreas from producing insulin causing the level of glucose (sugar) in a person’s blood to become too high.

It can be caused through exposure to viruses or can be hereditary. A person can be diagnosed with the condition at any age and over time the complications can lead to disabilities or even become life threatening.

With no cure found for the condition yet, individuals with the diagnosis are left to face the challenge of balancing their glucose levels every day through continuous doses of insulin.

Faye’s mother Karen Burke described the situation like balancing a balloon in the air while also going through all the other day-to-day activities.

She recalled how Faye began showing symptoms like extreme thirst, tiredness, frequent bathroom breaks and weight loss.

“It was around Christmas 2021, and she was just not herself,” Karen said.

Initially the family assumed she had picked up some virus because Covid was still around. In the following weeks her condition deteriorated further, as she became increasingly exhausted, complained of stomach pain and lost a significant amount of weight.

A visit to the GP revealed what was happening and the tests recorded her blood sugar at dangerous levels.

She was immediately referred to the hospital where the doctors managed to balance her sugar levels, and her mum got a crash course in learning to do the same at home.

“The next day they handed me an insulin injection and asked me to inject her,” said Karin.

The first week at home was overwhelming. People often think it’s just a case of giving insulin, but a lot more than that goes into it including constant blood sugar checks, carbohydrate ratios and insulin calculation.

“Back then she had a little scanner, and you scanned her sensor to get her sugar levels.

“It led to us being up all night, because she kept dropping low during the night and you wouldn’t know that until you scanned her,” said Karen.

“I was afraid to go back to sleep in case we needed to scan her again to make sure she was staying safe,” she added.

Four and half years later, the calculations continue, but it has been made a bit easier with the advancement in technology.

Instead of daily injections, Faye now has a pump attached to her waist, a device that continuously delivers insulin to her body and the dosage can be adjusted automatically based on the readings from a continuous glucose monitor.

“When the glucose levels go too low, it feels like you are trying to fall asleep, but you physically can’t. So, you are slowly being driven insane,” described Faye.

Young Faye has developed a practical outlook towards her condition. Speaking about how it has changed her life she admitted she does not remember much about life before her diagnosis.

“Sometimes I look at other people eating without thinking about it and wonder how that’s possible,” she said.

Determined not to let the condition define her, Faye continues to take part in sports and other activities in school.

“At the beginning it felt like being handed a newborn baby without an instruction manual. But it does become your new normal,” emphasised Karen.

“I have spent a long time keeping her alive and we have to keep keeping her alive,” she added.

Having initially been met with several misconceptions and figuring out everything on their own, Faye and her family have now made it their mission to help other families in a similar situation and raise awareness about the condition.

It was this resolve that led them to participate in the documentary ‘Imperfect Days’, directed by David Qualter and produced by Laura Qualter of Prospect Films.

The 25-minute documentary showcases the lives of three people including Faye, who share their personal experiences of managing diabetes and taking part in clinical trials.

Young Faye is hoping the film will help viewers understand the condition and the effort that goes into keeping the right balance of sugar levels.

“So many people don’t know the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. I am glad we are spreading awareness about it,” she said.

The film was produced with funding from a Health Research Board (HRB) grant, under the umbrella of Science on Screen.

Having premiered at the Palas Cinema in December 2025, the documentary will be shown on RTÉ One on Monday, October 19 at 8.30pm.