West Pinchbeck youngster Toby Barnett refuses to let conditions stop him from play for Spalding United Under 7s Blues
Football-mad youngster Toby Barnett continues to defy the odds as he turns out to enjoy the game he loves at every opportunity.
The six-year-old goalkeeper - who was diagnosed with kidney disease aged two and type 1 diabetes at four - regularly plays through the pain barrier in the name of the beautiful game - making him a true number one in everyone’s eyes.
And despite having to regularly visit three different hospitals in three different counties to receive specialist treatment, every spare moment is dedicated to having fun.
Toby, who turns out for Spalding United Under7s Blues, trains throughout the week with his teammates and also in goalkeeper sessions under the watchful eyes of Tulips goalkeeping coach Ben Derbyshire and first-team stopper Michael Duggan.
But when the whistle blows, Toby plays on.
“He doesn’t let this (his conditions) get in his way,” said mum Victoria Hopkinson.
“It’s always football. If he’s at home he’ll kick a ball here or with the kids down the road.
“If he’s at the park he’ll go up to a game and ask to join in, even if it’s teenagers - and they’ll let him. He just loves football.”
Nephrotic syndrome is a kidney disorder that causes your body to pass too much protein in your urine, and has left the youngster needing a regular course of steroids since December.
When Toby is in relapse his face and his body swell, leaving him in pain.
This also leaves mum and dad Jonathan Barnett having to restrict how much fluid he can drink, which can be at odds with his diabetes.
“If his blood sugars go high he needs to drink more,” Victoria added.
“It’s a battle to try to find a happy medium.But no matter how he’s feeling he just wants to play football.”
While many top footballers have their matchday rituals, few can come close to the preparation taking place at Toby’s West Pinchbeck home, where he lives with his parents and his three siblings.
Snacks including bananas, a special diabetic-friendly glucose drink, sweets and chocolates are packed along with the regular kit bag to ensure Toby’s blood sugar levels can be maintained at a comfortable level.
Meanwhile, the young stopper’s kit includes a bum bag - which he keeps in his goal net - containing a mobile phone, connected via bluetooth to a dexcom (continuous blood glucose monitor) stuck to his arm.
Through this a continual update on Toby’s blood sugar levels are sent to an app on his parents’ mobiles.
“We have to keep up to date because it can drop so quickly,” dad Jonathan added.
Toby - who has to change his insulin arm pump every three days and his dexcom every 10 - looks up to Premier League stars such as Liverpool keeper Alisson and Arsenal stopper Aaron Ramsdale.
But his real heroes are the squad members at Spalding United, especially goalie Duggan.
The Tulips first team always make time for the youngster at games when he heads on down to the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field to cheer his side on, an inspirational reward for a youngster who refuses to let illness stop him pursuing enjoyment.
“I’ve had a few people say to me that if that happened to their son they wouldn’t want him to be playing football and doing things like that,” Jonathan added.
“But they’re still children at the end of the day and need to be out there having fun.
“We want to make people aware kids can still live their lives.”