More Than My Diagnosis: The Jenson Family
When we met Sam, he wasn't particularly interested in having his photo taken.
He was much more interested in the camera itself.
Very quickly, he had appointed himself assistant photographer, was asking questions about every
button and setting and trying to figure out exactly how it all worked.
Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at just 18 months old, Sam is now in his first year of school. He's cheeky, funny, endlessly curious, and always on the move.
He also loves running.
"My favourite thing is doing parkruns, even the kids' one which is only 2k," he told us.
Though it quickly became clear that Sam much prefers the full 5k.
For his parents, Graham and Yuliya, seeing Sam enjoy the things he loves is what matters.
"I just don't want diabetes to define everything that he does in his life," says Yuliya.
A diagnosis that came out of nowhere
Sam was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was just 18 months old, following months of uncertainty for his family.
It began when preschool teachers noticed he was drinking a lot of water and suggested his parents take him to see a doctor.
"One of the teachers had seen diabetes before and said he might have diabetes, so we went to the GP and got a blood test," Graham recalls.
The results were slightly elevated, but not enough to raise immediate concern. A few months later, Sam became seriously unwell.
"He was drinking so much water, he was throwing up, and we took him to hospital," says Yuliya.
"We walked in and they basically immediately smelled his breath and said, 'He has diabetes,'" Graham remembers.
"It was horrible," says Yuliya. "It came completely out of the blue because neither of us had any family history of diabetes and we had no knowledge of it."
Suddenly, the family found themselves learning how to manage a condition they knew very little about while caring for a toddler.
Learning as they go
Like many families living with type 1 diabetes, the Jensons’ quickly discovered there was no simple formula.
"The best advice I've ever received is that every person's diabetes is different," says Graham. "And every day is different as well."
"You can't say what worked yesterday is going to work today," adds Yuliya. "Yesterday might have been a horrible day and today is much better."
Over time, they've become more confident, but diabetes still requires constant attention.
Graham, who works in technology, has even used his skills to help manage Sam's diabetes, creating his own app to track Sam's glucose levels and trends.
Even with technology helping to lighten the load, diabetes remains a constant part of daily life.
Graham describes diabetes management as a balancing act rather than something you can ever fully master.
"If you're getting it right 70% of the time, you're doing pretty well," he says.
Like many families living with diabetes, they've learned that perfection isn't the goal. Every day brings different challenges, and what works one day may not work the next.
For Yuliya, one of the most important lessons came during a difficult conversation with a friend.
They told her, "You're doing a great job. I could never do that if it was my child."
The comment gave her pause.
"No, you would," she remembers thinking. "You would finger prick them; you would inject them. You would do anything in your power to keep them healthy and keep them alive.
"Even if it looks super difficult and nearly impossible, it still has to be done."
Growing up with diabetes
As Sam has grown, the challenges have changed.
First, it was helping preschool staff understand diabetes. Now it's helping him navigate school.
The family know they're incredibly fortunate to have a teacher aide who understands diabetes through personal experience, something that brings reassurance for both Sam and his parents.
Having someone who already understands the realities of living with diabetes means Sam can focus on the things he enjoys most, whether that's running around with friends, learning new things or planning his next parkrun.
The family have also found value in being part of the wider diabetes community.
Earlier this year, they made a donation to support Diabetes New Zealand camps, helping ensure young people living with diabetes have opportunities to connect, build confidence and create lasting memories.
While Sam is still a little too young to attend, Graham and Yuliya hope it won't be long before he's old enough to experience camp for himself.
Just being Sam
Looking ahead, Graham and Yuliya share a unified hope for what his life will look like.
"I think he should be able to do anything he wants in his life and become anyone he wants," says Yuliya.
As Sam gets older, they hope diabetes becomes a smaller and smaller part of his life.
"More and more of it is just being Sam." says Graham.
After spending an afternoon with him, it's easy to see what he means.
Sam spent most of our visit talking about running, helping investigate the camera and firing off questions about how things worked.
When the conversation eventually turned to diabetes, he shared a perspective only a child could.
"I like it when I'm low because I get to eat gummies."
It's hard not to smile at the answer.
Sam is a runner who prefers the 5k, an enthusiastic camera assistant, a future camper and a kid with an endless sense of curiosity.
Most of all, he's just Sam