I don’t like talking about myself, and it’s only in the past year that I’ve been more open. I’ve now started talking to my family about diabetes and mental health, and I volunteer with Diabetes UK – I don’t want other younger people with type 2 diabetes to feel like they can’t talk about it.  

In April 2023 I went to Parliament to talk about my mental health experiences, and I appeared on ‘Diabetes Discussions – a Diabetes UK Podcast’ as a guest on Episode 4: Mental Wellbeing. I feel passionately that young people with type 2 need greater mental health support, and that we need to break the stigma that exists around age and type 2.  

I think if I’d have got help with my mental health at 19, it would’ve positively impacted my eating patterns. Moreover, I likely would’ve exercised more, and I probably wouldn’t have got into so much debt at uni. 

I want other younger people to get info on type 2 diabetes at the right time, and actual practical support and advice. 

In June 2023, my nurse called me one morning and said that I was being given a 3-month trial of a Dexcom ONE CGM. I was ecstatic! 

Being at Diabetes UK gave me the confidence to push for this, and within just a few days of using the CGM I noticed that stress and anxiety were factors for my blood sugar being higher.  

My blood glucose levels are now better than they’ve been since I was diagnosed, and I feel like I’m much more in control of my health.  

I am an advocate for young people with diabetes and look for opportunities to engage young people in diabetes spaces and to create moments where creative collaboration amplifies the voices of people from across the community. 

I am a member of several diabetes networks and engage regularly with young adult diabetes spaces, including as a young leader for the Diabetes UK Our Lives, Our Choices, Our Voices project, and as an Expert by Experience for the Diabetes Research Steering Group for children and young people. 

One thing I wish I’d known is that you don’t have to reach for perfection. Good enough is often good enough, and you’re more than just the number you see on the screen. 

I found information on the Diabetes UK website helpful. I’m not a very forum-y person, but I also looked at the Diabetes UK forum from time to time. Although there were not many people like me, and I'm not the type to bare my soul, some of it was helpful.

I did some of the courses on Learning Zone. That was helpful. I could do them at my own pace in my own time. I learnt things about my feet which is really important and understanding the complications. It was quite scary at times to see that I could end up with gangrene. I know people who have lost limbs as a result of diabetes. Even if I maintain my blood sugar levels, it’s still a concern. 

It was a major thing coming to terms with my diagnosis as there are still so many things I want to do. I had counselling through work and chatted to friends and family. It’s great to have that support but you do have to come to it yourself.

It took me three or four months just getting my head around it and going through the grieving process, and what I have lost. 

Supporting DUK is so worthwhile, because of the information that’s getting out to people who need it and helping people decide to make changes in their lives. Raising awareness of technology and research is inspiring, especially because of my family history. I hope this inspires other people as well and that awareness can keep the research going. When my sister was diagnosed as a child, it was quite scary and difficult to see. If Diabetes UK can keep supporting newly diagnosed young people with type 1 and their families, so that they don’t have to have the same experiences that we did when we were younger, that’s amazing.