Sharing always helps so we have brought stories from the type 1 community together to share experiences, learn from each other’s successes and to understand when things get tough.
If you would like to share your story on living with type 1 diabetes, please email Heather at hrichardson@jdrf.org.uk
My name is Orla Gardiner and I am 13 years old. I was first diagnosed with type 1 diabetes about a week before my seventh birthday. At first my parents didn’t understand what was wrong with me as I was drinking a lot of water, feeling sick and looked pale.
I’m Laura Bourke and I’m 14 years old. I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetesthree years ago. I was on holidays in Switzerland with my family at the time. As you can expect I was taking advantage of the never ending chocolate supplies in the Swiss shops.
My name is Rachel. I am 13 years old. When I was 10 my mum noticed I was drinking a lot and going to the toilet so she brought me for a blood test. I was then diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
I am 13 years old and I have had type 1 diabetes since January 2007. It was the first day back to school after the Christmas holidays, my mam called me to get up for school and I collapsed. My mam thought I was messing and didn’t want to go to school, but then realised I wasn’t. She took me to our doctor who immediately suspected diabetes and sent us to Temple Street Hospital in Dublin.
Not only is it Carol’s first marathon, she has been so dedicated to raising money for JDRF that she has lost over five stone in order to get into ‘marathon-tastic’ shape.
Ryan Lankshear, aged two, from Wrestlingworth, Bedfordshire was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes on 9 January 2013.
Michael Thornton, 12, from Canada, has proved that having type 1 diabetes doesn’t stop you living your dreams – after completing football trials with some of the biggest clubs in Europe.
Joshua Anderson, three, from Twickenham was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes on 1 October 2012, aged two.
Sophie didn't have any previous history of type 1 diabetes in her family, so her diagnosis came as a shock.
Ben Wilkinson, aged five, from Bushey, Herts was diagnosed, with type 1 diabetes aged two years old, in July 2010.
Izzi Hickmott,15, from Brighton was diagnosed with type 1 when she was ten years old, in November 2007.
I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2004 at the age of 26. My six year old daughter, Maebh, saved me from going into a diabetic coma.
Eddie was diagnosed when he was two. He wasn’t a normal mischievous two year old, he was quiet and lethargic.
My name is Lucy I'm 22, I have a son Louis who is soon to be three in June 2012. In April 2010 our lives took on great responsibility when Louis, at only 10 months old, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
Joel is 13 and was diagnosed in March 2003 aged 4. Initially the diagnosis left us numb...we knew very little if nothing about type 1 diabetes. Several days and nights in hospital followed as did some brief and very basic education from the HCPs.
In March 2004 our beautiful, bouncy, blonde baby girl was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. She had been unwell for weeks, wetting her bed, miserable, and seemingly having bug after bug but the G.P. insisted she was just run down with a virus.
My name is Emma, I am wife to Scott, mum to four children, Olivia, Samuel, Victoria and Elizabeth. I work part time as a pharmacy technician at UCLH. Type 1 diabetes made its first appearance in January 1996 when Scott was diagnosed at 25.
Elouisa was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in August 2011, aged three and half. From the moment of her diagnosis our world fell apart - her type 1 now rules our lives.