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I’m guessing you may know someone living with Diabetes or perhaps you as well are living with this disease. Both Type 1 and Type 2 are a result of problems with insulin, one of the hormones the body uses to regulate blood sugar and derive energy from food. But that’s where similarities end. Very simply put, type 2 diabetes has to do with insulin resistance. The pancreas produces it, but the body doesn’t use the insulin properly. Type 2 can be managed through a combination of diet, exercise and medication before (if ever) resorting to insulin injections. Meanwhile type 1 is an autoimmune disease in which the pancreas stops producing insulin altogether. People with type 1 diabetes rely on insulin injections to lower blood sugar. Insulin is not a cure; it simply allows a person with type 1 to stay alive.
The complications of type 1 diabetes are grave, both short and long term. Administering too much insulin can cause low blood glucose (hypoglycemia), which can lead to seizures, coma and in extreme circumstances, death. On the opposite end of the spectrum, not enough insulin can cause very high blood glucose which can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a life-threatening condition in which the blood becomes too acidic. The potential long-term complications are equally terrifying: blindness, kidney failure and limb amputation to name a few.
Life with type 1 is a perpetual and exhausting tightrope act. The goal is to achieve optimal blood glucose levels without going too high or too low. But despite constant finger pricks to check/re-check blood sugar, meticulous dosage and timing of insulin boluses, counting carbs and considering a myriad of other factors, it is virtually impossible to mimic the human pancreas. Factors that impact blood sugar include and are not limited to: all food (healthy or unhealthy), stress, imperfect timing and/or dosage of insulin, dehydration, exercise, weather, sleep (too much or lack of), inconsistent schedule, hormones, caffeine, illness … the list goes on.
Type 1 is an invisible, misunderstood disease. Things people often say: “You don’t look like you have diabetes,” “But you’re thin,” “Can you eat that?”, “That stinks you can’t have sugar.” Many erroneously lump type 1 diabetes together with type 2, which is understandable due to the fact that they share the same name. Many type 1 advocates, myself included, feel that the diseases should be differentiated with unique names. There’s already so much confusion surrounding the facts about diabetes, it would help raise awareness and benefit those living with both type 1 and type 2 if the public were better informed.
i was diagnosed with type 1 Diabetes in August 2021 at the age of 57. I've always been active, playing rugby, running, cycling, and more. Leading up to my diagnosis, I was training for The Tour for a Cure, but my body started to change. I experienced tingling in my calves and feet, struggled to focus, had lower back pain, and lost over 30 lbs. within a month. The diagnosis was terrifying, especially since my father also had late-onset diabetes and faced severe complications and later passed.
Despite the challenges, I continues to enjoy cycling, running, hiking, snowshoeing, canoeing, kayaking, and woodworking. I plan to run my 15th Marathon May 4, 2025 and if that's not enough of a challenge in August, 2025 I will cycle over 700kms from San Josef Bay to Victoria raising funds and awareness for D-Camps. #BSG4DIABETES
I'm not ashamed of my diabetes devices and often gets questions about them. I will be modelling in the Pump Couture Fashion Show to raise awareness and funds for D-Camps. I want to show that diabetes won't hold me back and hopes to inspire others. Please show your support by helping me reach my fundraising goal to send more kids to D-Camps!
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#PumpCoutureFashionShow
#BSG4DIABETES
