A YOUNGSTER who was hospitalised with diabetes has become an ambassador for raising awareness of the condition.

Ellie Spate, who is 12, has also been asked to support other young sufferers at Colchester General Hospital who, like her, use an insulin pump to manage the illness.

Ellie also uses her Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts to promote awareness of type one diabetes which changed her life two years ago.

Ellie, who lives in Longridge, Colchester, and attends East Bergholt High School, said: “Me and my friend Georgia post daily and sometimes we put fundraising things on there which other people do and we also like to post funny quotes to make them laugh.

“I’ve also written about diabetes and how it is not a joke.”

The girls have posts lined up for the social media sites to explain the symptoms, which mainly include weight loss, increased thirst, needing to urinate more frequently and tiredness.

For the past year or so, Ellie has been using her pump to regulate blood sugar levels, instead of having to inject herself four times a day.

Colchester General Hospital started to offer this to diabetes patients about a year ago.

Ellie added: “They said because I am on the pump and there are other people that are starting the pumps, they asked if I could help them.”

The portable device works by continuously delivering amounts of insulin via a catheter placed under the skin.

Ellie’s involvement has impressed Dr Nicola Cackett, paediatric consultant at Colchester, with an interest in diabetes.

Dr Cackett said: “Sometimes if a child is newly diagnosed they have fears such as going back to school.

“ If they can speak to someone who has gone through that process it gives them more confidence.”

She added: “It is really important other children see good role models. She is brilliant to do that.”

Ellie explained how she is trying to use her diagnosis in a positive way.

“I am kind of accepting it now and I want to help all the other people who have struggled like I did.

“I couldn’t have done it without Georgia, she has been a massive support to me.”

Two years ago, Ellie was staying with her dad when she was dashed into hospital and her diagnosis followed.

Mum Marie Hollands, 43, said: “There was a build up to it where she had been ill. The whole family had had a flu-type virus.

“She was sleeping a lot so we thought she was recovering and washing it through.

“She went to her dad’s in Hastings for Christmas Day and they noticed a massive difference in her weight loss.

“She couldn’t open her presents, she was so tired, she crashed. She was rushed to hospital.”

Ellie spent three days in hospital at Hastings and then another two in Colchester General Hospital.

For the first year after her diagnosis Ellie used insulin injections before she switched to the pump.

She’s also done fundraising for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund charity which raises awareness of type one diabetes, by holding a cake sale and is planning a cycle ride for the cause.

Until she became unwell, Ellie’s family didn’t know she carried the gene which made her prone to the illness.