Alfonzo has type 1 diabetes and has battled the disease on a very low income. This is his story:
Still Fighting After 18 Surgeries
I was 16 years old when I got diagnosed with diabetes. I had been using the bathroom a lot, drinking a lot of water, and eating anything that I could find. I was taken to a children’s hospital, where I was given a big bag of insulin [vials] to bring down my A1C. I then had to do a week of classes. It seemed like nobody wanted to help me, but no one in my community really understood diabetes.
Antoinette lives with type 2 diabetes and is committed to fighting the stigma surrounding it. She writes about her experience at realdiabetics.com.
I was diagnosed as a type 2 diabetic about 4 years ago at the age of 42. My introduction to diabetes was quite amazing. I woke up in the ICU of the hospital to learn that my blood sugar on admission was 1315. Yes, you read that right—1315. My A1C was 18.2. I was in a state of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
Kylie’s son, Rowen, lives with type 1 diabetes—but Kylie refuses to let the fear hold their family back.
Nikki lives with type 2 diabetes—and thrives, despite her diagnosis and her experience with several diabetes-related complications.
My name is Nikki and I am a type 2 diabetic of seven years. For the last two years, I've spent my New Years’ Eves in the ICU battling acute pancreatitis, sepsis, and ketoacidosis. I treat every day as a blessing and a gift, as each hospitalization was worse than the last. As such, I've vowed to train for a marathon to run in honor of the American Diabetes Association and have also raised $1,000 in donations.
Patricia is a Pilates instructor living with type 1 diabetes. Though she has experienced diabetes-related complications, she has refused to let them keep her down. This is her story:
For the last 17 years, I have been without one eye. I wear a prosthetic eye hand-painted to "look normal" during the day. Type 1 diabetes has stolen my vision.
Sara is from Sweden and has type 1 diabetes. She has lived with an eating disorder and shares her story to educate others and help remove the stigma she faced.
Here at the American Diabetes Association (ADA), we know that insulin is life-sustaining for people with diabetes—in fact, about seven million Americans rely on insulin to live. But what you may not know is how it’s regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)—and how that’s changing starting this week. Here’s what’s happening—and what it may mean for you, and for our fight for affordable insulin for all who need it.
First, here are some key terms you should know:
If you feel like you are developing symptoms, be sure to call your doctor.
Here are some common tips, which may vary for each person:
Marsha, from Birmingham, Alabama, was diagnosed with diabetes at age 28. This is her story:
I became very ill at the age of 28 years old.
I was rushed to the hospital. The ER doctor rushed into my room and asked if I knew that I was diabetic. I did not!!!
I had no idea what diabetes even was, but over that one-week span of being in the hospital in ICU on an insulin drip/IV, I quickly learned about a disease that would take precedence over my life.
Francesca lives with T1D in Barcelona, and she says she’s never let it hold her back. Travel is a huge part of her life, and she has traveled all over the world, from deserts to mountains and remote islands without hesitation. She says her active lifestyle has helped her, including lots of yoga, hiking and a healthy diet and amazing support from family and friends. She is sharing her story to “inspire others and let them know they are not alone.”
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