I realised I wanted to give something back to the type 1 community

“I’ve lived with type 1 diabetes (T1D) for almost 50 years. I was diagnosed in September 1976, when I was 11 years old. There was no family history of  T1D, so it came as a complete shock to my family. Looking back, I realise how difficult it must have been for my mum. In those days, diabetes care was very different. There were no continuous glucose monitors, no insulin pumps and no way to see what your blood sugars were doing in real time. You managed with urine tests, strict routines and a lot of resilience.  

School was challenging too. As far as I can remember, there were no care plans and very little understanding of type 1. It’s one of the reasons I’m so pleased to see the support available for young people today. I often managed hypos on my own and there were times when teachers simply didn’t understand what was happening. It was a lot of responsibility for a kid.  

Giving back to the community

I spent my entire career at a Big Four Firm, eventually becoming a partner. It was a high-pressure, demanding job and, although I was always open about having T1D, balancing my condition with such an intense role wasn’t always easy. During those years, I wasn’t particularly involved in the diabetes community. Like many people, I was focused on work, family and everyday life.  

That changed when I retired during the Covid pandemic. Retirement wasn’t exactly planned, but it gave me time to think about how I could contribute to something meaningful. I realised I wanted to give something back to the type 1 community. Through my consultant, I was introduced to Breakthrough T1D and began volunteering.  

Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to get involved in a wide range of activities. I’ve volunteered at Discovery Days, attended conferences, shared my lived experience with potential corporate supporters, supported enquiries from the community and even represented the charity at Comic Con in Portsmouth. It’s been incredibly varied, and that’s part of what makes it so enjoyable. 

The importance of shared understanding

What I’ve found most rewarding is the chance to connect with other people who truly understand life with T1D. For much of my life, I didn’t have that. Back in an organisation of 20,000 people, I only met a handful of colleagues with type 1, even though statistically there must have been many more. And for those who didn’t live with it, I found I constantly had to educate people. There was always a barrage of questions, ‘oh, which one’s that? Is that the serious one? Does that mean you can’t eat sugar?’. The usual nonsense. But I always made sure my close colleagues knew, I never wanted to be stuck in a situation where I’m having a massive hypo and no one knew what to do. 

That’s why my first Discovery Day in Bristol really stands out to me. Being surrounded by people who shared the same condition felt special. It was an environment where nobody needed diabetes explained to them. Everyone simply understood. Seeing parents of newly diagnosed children meet others who had walked the same path was particularly moving. You could see the relief on people’s faces as they realised they weren’t alone.