Diabetes Week 2022: 13 to 19 June

It’s Diabetes Week. Did you know that one in fourteen people in the UK are living with diabetes?

To mark Diabetes Week, one of our fab volunteers, Thomas, has written a blog post about living with Type 1 diabetes. Read on to find out more about his experience and how he’s learnt to manage his condition over time:

I was five years old when I started to become unwell. Thirsty all the time, very warm and constantly wanted to sleep somewhere cool as I was quite drowsy. The bathroom floor was my happy place as it was nice and cold (bathrooms were always cold in those days!).

My temperature was through the roof and my lips turned blue so ambulance time it was. Type 1 diabetic I was told but that meant nothing to me. All I was hearing was I had to learn to inject myself with insulin for the rest of my life, using what looked to me like a javelin and not a syringe, and I could not eat sweets anymore!

As I got older and adjusted to my insulin and what I could eat, technology got better so the testing of blood sugars and taking my insulin got better. A cold, stress and exercise can all affect your diabetes, and that’s before you even eat. Counting carbs when eating is the norm so I end up eating the same things and amounts. This helps my blood sugars from yo-yoing.

I have now managed to get good control of my diabetes and rarely have low blood sugars (hypo). I learned the hard way that you must take this condition seriously or it can impact your long term health. This is why I’m with Visibility Scotland, as my diabetes has affected my eyes.

So as an older diabetic, I would ask that if you or a family member have or end up with diabetes, then please take care of those blood sugars. That way you will have a long, happy life to look forward to.

Remember its only treatable diabetes and not the end of the world.

If you would like to find out more about diabetes or if you’re living with diabetes and looking for advice, visit the Diabetes UK website:

Diabetes UK

or call their helpline:

0345 123 2399