Tell your inspiration

What are the realities of trying to prevent or control diabetes? In your life, family, and/or community? What about this inspires you? Is it a person, an experience, or something you learned about diabetes?

TELL YOUR STORY


Inspiration Introduction




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Elli - Inspired by Her Mother

What's your name?
Elli


What's your inspiration?
My beautiful mother inspires me to prevent diabetes. She was diagnosed 32 years ago with Type I diabetes and, in recent years, has been hit hard by the disease. My mom raised my brother and me on her own and she took every precaution to ensure her diabetes was under control. Unfortunately, my mom's diabetes is so advanced and she has had numerous health problems that were unable to be prevented. She lives each day with an unmatched strength and optimisim that inspires me to do as much as I can with my own life. Even with her declining health, my mother still has the priorities of a selfless mother: to let her kids' dreams come true.

Although it is hard to be away from her (I live in Utah to go to school and she is home in Colorado), she encourages me to follow my dreams and continue to go to school, no matter how sick she gets. Her selflessness and encouragement inspires me every day. Whenever I get down, I think about my mom and how much strength and beauty she radiates even in the face of this ugly disease. I think about the sacrifices she made so I could be happy and healthy.

What's one lesson you want people to learn about diabetes?
One person with diabetes affects an entire army of others. Because of my mom's diabetes, my grandma has donated her kidney (for a transplant in 1999), my aunt has taken her in her home so she is closer to the better doctors in her neighborhood, and all her friends from various parts of the country have flown in to take care of my mom. It seems everyone in my mom's life is knowledgable about the disease, which is the first step to preventing diabetes.

I think the best and most effective power is knowledge. The more people learn about diabetes, the more managable it becomes. The more people you have in your life that support you after you've been diagnosed, the fear and trauma will subside. You have to gather your loved ones and teach them. Everyone has to learn together and diabetes has to be a team effort in order for it to be controlled, in my experience. All the people that love my mom the most know how to calculate insulin levels or take blood sugars.

Little things like that make my mom's condition more managable for her.

Step Out

On September 26th I was at Step Out For Diabetes walk. I collected some stories thanks to you who came my project is becoming an overwhelming success. While I was there I met some really cool people with very interesting stories. I also had over 1000 fliers with me that day, and I maybe came home with 500. Thanks to all who helped me and also to Grant. He has helped a lot with this and I wouldn't even have a blog without him.
~Gen