Cupcake Day is Tomorrow!

RSPCA Cupcake Day is a nation wide event that relies on workplaces or individuals to host cupcake ‘parties’ in order to raise funds and spread awareness for many neglected animals. Although the official day is Monday the 15^th, the parties are held all through August and hosts decorate and sell many cupcakes for the great cause!

The weeks leading up to tomorrow’s Cupcake day has been very busy, with many posts, adverts and communications to push out the message and get people actively involved. One of our sponsors for Cupcake Day is Baked 180 to help spread the message and help raise funds. Baked 180 are a Perth based cupcake shop that only uses organic-humane ingredients. Working with Baked 180 is perfect to give an option to animal lovers that do not enjoy baking! They have created a special, delicious RSPCA cupcake and all sales go direct to the cause. We have been running a competition to get the community excited and involved by encouraging people to post pictures on the Facebook page of their pets ‘helping’ out in the kitchen. Entrants must have registered to qualify for the opportunity to win 25 cupcake creations from Baked 180. The completion has been a success so far with over 150 entries. 

Baked 180's RSPCA specially designed cupcake

Tomorrow at RSPCA we are having our own morning tea with delicious cupcakes since it will be Cupcake Day. There will also be raffles and a competition for the best cupcakes. Tomorrow we can expect many of photos around WA being posted on Facebook and Instagram, so my job will be monitoring those platforms and replying to any queries.

I hope everyone else is gaining valuable experience and enjoying their internships.

All the best,

Jasmine.

Jelly babies for diabetes? Isn't that...wrong?!

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) is a medical research organisation determined to find a cure for juvenile diabetes.

Now, there is always much confusion about Type 1 (Juvenile) and Type 2 diabetes, but there is a huge difference!

Type 1, commonly referred to as juvenile, diabetes is an auto immune disease whereby the pancreas ceases to produce insulin. Without insulin, the body is unable to break down sugars and convert it into energy. This is when type 1 kids go into a ‘hypo’ or hypoglycaemia state (low blood glucose level) which can lead to shortness of breath, fainting, coma, and in the worst cases, death. During a ‘hypo’ a rush of sugar will help bring the child back to a normal blood sugar level, which is typically when lollies or jam are used to immediately get the sugar into their system.

I’ll touch back on this in a moment!

Type 2 diabetes on the other hand can usually be controlled by eating habits, exercise routines and lifestyle. It is usually diagnosed later in life than type 1 and is typically as a result of a not-so-healthy lifestyle. This is the diabetes many refer to as ‘the fat one’.

JDRF have a campaign called “Jelly Baby Month” which usually runs throughout the month of May. It is a community and school incentive to raise awareness and funds for juvenile diabetes, especially in primary schools when they can learn the difference between type 1 & 2. Jelly Baby Month raises funds through selling fundraising items such as JDRF merchandise (pens, key chains etc.) and – yep, you guessed it – jelly babies!

There has been a multitude of backlash from nutritionists and writers (usually mummy bloggers) displaying outrage and lashing out against the sale of jelly baby lollies to assist in raising funds for juvenile diabetes - 'the very product that causes diabetes' according to some lovely comments.

What these dear writers have unfortunately overlooked is the fact they don't understand the significant difference between the two types of the disease! That, and JDRF Jelly Babies are now made with all natural colours and flavours.

This is a huge part of JDRF’s mission; educating those outside of the type 1 community on how it is not a matter of controlling your exercise and eating habits, but an illness, an auto immune defect in fact, which attacks the insulin enzymes in the body making children very ill and results in them having to monitor their blood sugar levels multiple times a day either through finger pricking or on a monitored pump and usually having to inject themselves with insulin up to six times a day.

The symbol of the Jelly Baby is a part of the pantry for many families living with a child who has type 1. Many mums say the ‘friendly face’ and familiarity of the jelly babies help calm the child when in a hypo state. 

In essence, I would like to extend this piece of knowledge to you all as well, to help you understand the difference between the two.

The JDRF website explains it even further.

And since we’re in Jelly Baby Month why not check out ways you can help fundraise or raise awareness while you’re there!


Natalie Robb 14287318