Every weekend, Franciszek goes for a walk with his mum and his dog. Sometimes his sister comes along too. He likes it best when they go into the forest, and always takes lots of photos so he can use them to make drawings and artwork when he gets home.
But even with the walks, weekends could feel quiet. Franciszek lives with type one diabetes. He’s done a great job of learning to manage it — following his eating schedule, tracking his blood sugar and taking insulin — but it was hard sometimes, not to feel a little alone with it.
“It could be lonely,” his mum Agnieszka explained. “When you think you’re the only one with this condition, and dealing with a sickness that not everyone would understand.”
So when she got an email about Helium, they knew he had to try it. It’s been three years now, and they’ve never looked back.
“It could be lonely, when you think you’re the only one, the only one with this condition, and dealing with sickness that not everyone would understand”
Franciszek had always been interested in art and creativity, so when he and his mom came across Helium, they eagerly seized the opportunity to get involved.
“It was amazing,” Franciszek exclaims. “Every workshop was good. The coordinator was always coming with new ideas I’d never thought of before. I would go every chance I could.
Instead of just sticking to sketching and painting, it opened me up to different styles. Anything that was 3D and involved making something with your hands was great.”
Helium didn’t just open Franciszek up to new ways of working. Meeting other young people with similar experiences has turned out to be just as important.
“I think that Helium has made me more social and interactive. I enjoy discussing art and hobbies with people I don’t know. I like to hear about their experience with art.”
His mum has seen the change too:
“I was so happy to see him meeting other children, seeing that he wasn’t the only one who had to deal with sickness. What’s special about Helium is that the focus isn’t on the illness, it’s on the art — he’s always been creative and now he’s thinking more about art, that keeps him busy.”
Franciszek doesn’t know yet if art will become part of his career, but he does know he wants to keep his options open. Helium is helping him do that — giving him the confidence to join different activities, and even exhibit his work at our showcase in Cork.
“I loved it. It felt really good sharing your ideas and your art with other people. And I remember getting to meet the mayor of Cork, and the fact that they saw my art made me feel really proud. Being part of Helium has shown me all the different kinds of art I could explore. It’s great to think it could become a career. I am happy that a simple hobby has turned into something so important.”
