Introduction to Diabetes Week - A Future Without Diabetes

I rarely wish that I didn't have diabetes because it's part of who I am now like my love of tea and my passion for athletics. However, I do have moments where I wish that I could perhaps take a holiday from it and do something without having to worry about the consequences. This mostly occurs when at the cinema and I wish I could devour a whole bag of family size sweets to myself, and not ruin the film because of high blood sugars and needing the toilet every two minutes.

When I was diagnosed with diabetes I remember a kind nurse telling me that it would be 5 or 10 years before we found a cure for diabetes. Well, it's been 12 years and unfortunately there's no sign of total cure for Type 1 diabetes just yet. However, never did I imagine what I like to call my mechanical pancreas would be how I managed my diabetes instead of injections all these years later. When I was on injections there were always different types of insulin being made that were faster acting or more efficient. A few years ago before going onto my insulin pump I was due to start using the inhaled insulin. And there are new medicines and technologies being created all the time. But it was and continues to be because of the research of scientists and their advancements in technology that make these things possible.

Research was actually the main reason why I began volunteering. It was important to me that I play a part in the story of finding a cure for diabetes. I couldn't wait around and wait for other people to do all the research for me. This month from the 9th to the 15th June is Diabetes Week in the UK. And the theme of this years week is D week is 'Research'. So over the next couple of days I will be publishing blogs that delve a bit deeper into all of the wonderful things that are being done on the research side. With the aim of giving hope to the future of the condition and to inspire to lend your valuable support to the cause too.