You’re Not Alone: Why access to a community is important
Hello diabuddies,
Our online and offline community is pretty amazing when it comes to sharing information and supporting each other. Last month, it was so beautiful to see everyone unite for the cause and work to raise awareness around T1D.
This brings me to introduce today’s blog topic, which is access, and more specifically, access to a community.
If you are a person living with diabetes, you know how lonely having an autoimmune disease can be. Your friends and family try their best to help you, but sadly unless you live with the disease, no one can really understand what you’re going through.
When I was young, I didn’t want to be part of the diabetes community. I know now that it was because I was trying to escape T1D and didn’t want to accept that it was going to follow me my whole life! I already had to live with my disease 24/7. Joining the community would mean I had to talk to others about it too - no thank you!
As I grew older, I realized that running away from my diabetes was not the answer. Using the community to see how others lived with T1D could actually be helpful. I needed to change my perspective.
I remember searching on Instagram through the hashtag #diabetesfunny (or something like that). I wanted to see how other people with diabetes were coping with the disease through humor. To my surprise, there were some pretty great jokes out there! However, it still wasn’t enough for me to start being part of a community.
The turning point was when I started experiencing hypoglycemic unawareness, which means I stopped feeling my low blood sugars. My doctor and diabetes team never mentioned that this was something that could happen. I was scared and worried and didn’t have any resources to ease my anxiety. That’s when I started looking more and more through Instagram posts and discovered what a CGM (continuous glucose monitor) was, and it blew my mind.
Through this research I realized that there was an enormous online community that I wasn’t aware of! I saw so many people with diabetes sharing their personal journeys with T1D - their daily life with pumps or insulin pens, their tips for working out, and the list goes on.
Since that day, something changed in me. I felt so safe. I was not alone anymore.
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The beauty of the online community is that whatever or whenever you post something about diabetes, many people can relate to your experience. You feel like you can overcome challenges because you’re no longer on the journey alone. You have access to a strong network of people who really get it.
Accessing this online community also led to me becoming a National Podvocate for Omnipod®. Being a Podvocate has given me the opportunity to meet incredible people, attend various events and share my story and experience wearing Omnipod DASH®. Every time I help at Omnipod® events, I come home with a big smile on my face.
As human beings, we feel connected when we can relate to others. Realizing the power of the community transformed my life with diabetes. It gives me strength to overcome challenges and a place to celebrate winning moments too. Thank you for being part of my T1D journey!
- Judy