Olympia, Greece, site of the original Olympic Games

November 14th is World Diabetes Day. One in two people with diabetes remain undiagnosed and 80% of cases of Type 2 Diabetes is preventable through the adoption of a healthy lifestyle. My hope in writing this post is to foster discussion and understanding and to support and educate eachother.

I was 15 years old when I was diagnosed with diabetes. Seeking to better understand my condition and how to treat it, I decided to study biochemistry as an undergraduate. Over a decade after my initial diagnosis, a different doctor diagnosed me with maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) based on a thorough study of my blood chemistry and family health history. Based on genetic sequencing and clinical practice guidelines from the University of Chicago, he prescribed an alternative treatment plan that greatly improved my health and quality of life.

“Our ability to read out this sequence of our own genome has the makings of a philosophical paradox. Can an intelligent being comprehend the instruction to make itself?”

— John Sulston

And I think that’s what life is about. Comprehending, learning, constantly how to make oneself (healthy, happy, motivated, optimistic, fill in the blank). And it’s this seeking of information which makes life so significant. The relationships built. The memories made. The mistakes made.

I am thankful for my family instilling my love for sports, the voluntary mandatory 5am cross-country training runs (high school basketball), my teachers (professors and peers alike) teaching me anything and everything, and my friends taking jabs at my disease, simply because that’s what friends do. You inspire me.

Considering all the factors to health and well-being, my quality of life could be better, yet it could also be worse. I was put in a position to have the resources to learn. To learn about my disease, others’ diseases, art, history, the list goes on. Unfortunately, some people aren’t so lucky (1 in 2 diabetics don’t have access to diabetes education programs).

Have I had to adjust? Of course. No one is going to be perfect. Progression isn’t simply linear. It is zig-zagged, with ups and downs, but we stick through it, all with a positive mental attitude. To reap rewards, we must display discipline. That may mean eating a salad when your friends eat a burger, cutting out soda, or prioritizing fitness five days into your week. Do I still indulge in cheesecake? Jeez, I’m only human, yes! We sacrifice some things, indulge in others. This balance is healthy.

But I am here to tell you. When you fight through all the bullshit and persevere — life is so much sweeter.