Browsing online this morning, I came across a really interesting story about Jerry, a teddy bear for children. What makes Jerry special is that he's actually a robotic bear that helps children learn about diabetes if they've been diagnosed with the illness.

You see, Jerry actually ‘has' diabetes, and children have to check his blood sugar levels on his paw and administer insulin to one of his five ports. He also comes with a ‘food pack', so if his blood sugar gets too low, children can feed him to make him feel better. What's even more exciting is that as Jerry is robotic, he will display cues that he isn't feeling too well, to encourage children to check his blood sugar.

In the future, Jerry will come with software that will ‘grow' as the child does, so that it's better tailored to help older children understand more about their diabetes and how to become more independent about managing it as well as understanding any warning signs and any milestones that may occur.

I think that this is such an interesting story because not only is the technology really important, but it's also the fact that they chose to design it as a teddy bear. It just goes to show how wonderfully reassuring children find teddy bears and how every child should have one who is their special friend.

While our bears may not be quite up to the task of teaching children about diabetes, they still make wonderful furry friends that will stay with your child for a lifetime. If you have a young relative who's ill or going through a hard time, why not build a bear online for them? You can personalise them through five easy steps to create a gift that's truly special indeed and is sure to bring a smile to their face!