Type 1 diabetes, tech and creativity

A type 1 diabetes diagnosis

I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when I was three years old. Thankfully, my mum was familiar with the symptoms of type 1 so when I was very tired, lost a lot of weight and didn’t seem like myself, she was able to push for testing to be done.

I think because my mum had knowledge about type 1 diabetes, she knew what I should be tested for. I was officially diagnosed in 2005.

Using type 1 tech

I started out on a blood glucose monitor and insulin injections then moved onto an insulin pump about five years later.

It’s made my life so much easier and I can focus on things that matter to me. It’s freed up a lot of time where I know that I have the safety of my insulin pump behind me. When you’re becoming a teenager you want to have that independence.

With injections, it was a lot of stress, especially for somebody at a young age to try and remember when to inject and relying on family to help remind me. Now I’m an adult, I feel much more involved in my care.

It was a very difficult shift growing up and finding ways that I could stay on top of my diabetes while also being a teenager — socialising and doing the things that I enjoyed, like my hobbies.

Artwork about type 1

In college, I decided I wanted to pursue graphic design but the class was full, so I took fashion instead. I did a bit of embroidery and enjoyed it and I also really wanted to do a degree at university.

I took a year out and did a lot of research into art and creative degrees and decided needlework was definitely the route I wanted to go down. I got into the Royal School of Needlework and it’s been incredible seeing my progress over the years of my degree.

I’d never really created any art based on my experience of type 1 diabetes before I worked on the final project of my degree, Ordinary Oddness.

Type 1 felt like something I didn’t want to face head on, especially within work at school or college.

But when I was thinking about what I wanted to do for my major project, I knew I wanted it to be important, something I was passionate about and had a close connection to.

I decided I’d do some drawing and if diabetes becomes the subject I want to do, then it would be the path I took. I really enjoyed the process and facing my feelings and emotions head on while drawing.

Designing and making handbags for type 1 diabetes equipment

I knew I wanted to create a handbag. The topic of handbags was quite important to me, because a lot of handbags or purses to store insulin pens, blood glucose monitors and spare cannulas were quite limited.

There were so many really lovely, cute handbags out there, but they just wouldn’t fit everything I wanted. So I really wanted to create something that was just bold and bright and fun but also had the practicality element to it.

When I spoke to people, they didn’t really think that handbags would be an issue for those with medical conditions. It’s just something that you don’t really understand unless you’re in that situation.

With type 1, you’ve got all of this stuff that you constantly have to carry around with you, but you don’t have anything nice to carry it in.

I wanted to use colours and textures to create something bold shoved the topic of diabetes in your face. It made you look at it.

At first, I didn’t know what kind of sculptural handbag I wanted to create. Then I chose two objects that represented my diabetes journey:

• The first one was the needle cap that sort of represented the start of my journey
• The second object I used an insulin vial, this is is what I use to fill my insulin pump.

I wanted to use colour because I wanted the condition to be celebrated as something that those with the it should be proud of. If you’ve had a bumpy ride or not, you should be proud about the experience that you’ve had in life with diabetes and how you handle it.

And I wanted to create something uplifting and beautiful so people could really admire the work.

The impact of the the project

It made me feel accepting of my type 1. I have this condition, but I’ve made something relating to it that I’m so proud of. It made me realise that I’m not just some old diabetic, I’m a diabetic who’s had a journey and wants to create things for those who’ve also been on the on a similar journey.

I’ve been more open about talking about my thoughts and my feelings with the condition. A lot of people wouldn’t really understand, especially if they don’t have diabetes, they wouldn’t really understand all the intricate details and routines that one has living with the condition.

The project was a really big learning curve, but it was one that sort of helped me open up about my condition and feel excited about it.

People who have seen my work and have family members or friends who have type 1 were coming up to me and talking about it. It was great to have those conversations with people about the condition.

Type 1 and future creative projects

I’m hoping to continue creating accessories based around type 1 diabetes and I’m also exploring other science themes.

Even as my practice progresses and I may explore other topics, I know that I will always be doing something to do with diabetes in my work.

I’ve definitely gained a passion for creating accessories at university and I want to continue that work.

Find out more about Megan and her work on her website: Megann Workss