Why support this movement
Whilst there are many diabetic charities, most focus on finding a cure, or the cause of diabetes. Whilst this is a noble and worthwhile cause it often neglects the day to day effects that diabetes has on individuals. Speaking from personal experience I often felt isolated and alone, different to the other children and left questioning ‘why me?’. Being quizzed about my diabetes, ‘why I wasn’t fat?’ ‘can you eat that?’ made me feel self-conscious about the condition and made me feel conflicted as to whether I fitted into the diabetic community. I felt that I didn’t’ fit in with the other children because I was diabetic but then I didn’t fit into the diabetic community because I was an ‘Athletic Diabetic’. Since growing up, and with the development of social media I have realised that I am no longer alone and that I have a voice and the ability to enact change.
The 3 primary objectives:
- To create a network of athletic diabetics providing inspiration and support to diabetics that wish to participate in sports – Achieved through the interviews with ‘Athletic Diabetics’ and having a profile on the website about them and how they manage the condition
- Provide education about the condition to members of the public to dispel certain stereotypes about living with the condition – Achieved via the information provided in the articles about the different types of diabetes and issues that may arise when living with the condition
- Inspire and motivate people, diabetic or not to live a healthier lifestyle – Achieved by the inspiration ‘Athletic Diabetics’ and motivational articles about how to live a healthier lifestyle
Secondary objectives include:
- Changing perception of the condition through education that not ‘all diabetics are fat’
- Challenging media representations about the condition that often result in diabetics being used as a joke for unhealthy lifestyle choices.
- Demonstrate he need for further support and research into the mental effects of diabetes upon individuals, not just the physical consequences. This is primarily surrounding the unrecognised medical condition called ‘Diabulimia’ and the impact that diabetes can have on young, developing individuals.
- To provide education and support to diabetics at the earliest stage of diagnosis. This will help reduce the strain on the NHS and also aid individuals control
- Offer direct support to individuals through the network of ‘Athletic Diabetics’ and so have a more intimate direct approach to diabetes control.
- Campaign to improve the lives of diabetics by creating an empowered body of diabetics that can report issues in a coordinated manner to enact change.
- Be more proactive in raising awareness of diabetes and its complications within mainstream media.