CHANGING THE CONVERSATION for People Living With Diabetes
Debbie was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 19 years ago, and she remembers how quickly life changed. Almost overnight, insulin, glucose monitoring, and food choices became a 24/7 responsibility. From the very beginning, Debbie understood that diabetes was a lifelong condition with no cure, and she admits she felt scared and sad, especially because the only things she really knew about diabetes were the common stigmas and misconceptions.
Over time, education, consistent insulin management, and making healthy priorities helped Debbie find her rhythm. Diabetes didn’t go away, but it became more manageable. Still, she knows firsthand that there is truly no day off from living with diabetes.
Debbie lives with both the visible and invisible challenges of type 1 diabetes. The visible parts include insulin injections, treating low blood sugars, wearing medical devices, and constantly counting carbohydrates. The invisible parts can be even heavier: the fear of lows, mental math, interrupted sleep, blood sugar highs that bring exhaustion, headaches, and irritability, and the way stress, hormones, and illness can change everything without warning. Debbie also speaks honestly about the emotional impact of being judged or misunderstood, and the financial burden that can add another layer of stress.
Despite it all, Debbie is proud of the person diabetes has shaped her into. She carries no shame. First and foremost, she is a wife and a mother living with type 1 diabetes, and she knows that everything she does and everything she is involves diabetes in some way. She can’t ignore it, but she has learned that accepting it and managing it helps her achieve goals she is deeply proud of. Debbie believes her years of hard work have built resilience, strength, and perspective — and now she wants to help others who are walking the same path.
Becoming a mother to her daughter gave Debbie an even deeper sense of purpose. It inspired her to find a way to support young people living with type 1 diabetes. She knows she can’t cure it, but she also knows she can help create something powerful: community, belonging, and moments of joy for kids who carry a daily burden most people will never fully understand.
Debbie is modelling in the Pump Couture Fashion Show because she believes in celebrating these young heroes, raising funds for D-Camps, and giving kids living with diabetes the chance to experience a summer camp designed for them — where they feel safe, supported, and completely understood.
Debbie’s message to someone newly diagnosed is filled with compassion: "A diabetes diagnosis can feel terrifying, but it doesn’t mean your life is over, and it is not something you caused. It simply means your body needs extra support now. You will learn. You will adapt. And you are not alone. Millions of people live full, healthy lives with diabetes. Take it one day at a time, ask lots of questions, let people help you, and be kind to yourself."
#PumpCoutureFashionShow #ChangeTheConversation #StopTheStigma
