A Co Down woman has shared her experience of living with type 1 diabetes and the journey she has been on since her diagnosis over a decade ago.
Gemma Bell-Gibson from Bangor has given a very stark and real insight into what it is like to be diagnosed with the condition and the impact it can have on your physical and emotional wellbeing.
As part of this year’s Diabetes Week, Gemma has joined Diabetes UK Northern Ireland in its call for greater awareness and understanding of this condition, which is very often misunderstood and underestimated.
Read more: More people in NI turning to injections to lose weight
Recent prevalence figures indicate that nearly 112,000 people aged 17 and over in Northern Ireland are living with a form of diabetes.
Gemma’s story provides a glimpse of the experiences felt by thousands of people across the region.
She recalled: “I will never forget the day I was diagnosed with diabetes – I was expecting my firstborn and was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, something I thought would go away after my daughter was born.
“However, my consultant knew this was not the case and very kindly tried to prepare me by explaining my symptoms were not typical for gestational diabetes but was in fact type 1 diabetes.
“I was frantic, numb, and extremely emotional – one part that fed into that was that I have a life-long needle phobia and I knew this meant I would have to use needles and inject.
“I was in such a deep state of panic that I ended up in hospital for around five days before I could calm down – I’m incredibly grateful for the team within the South Eastern Trust that took care of me during this time.
“Having such wonderful people around me during this turbulent beginning is something that I will be forever grateful for.”
Mum-of-two Gemma says her diagnosis brought a lot of mixed emotions.
“I was filled with anxiety but the most important thing for me was being the healthiest version of me for my daughter – I had no choice but to learn as much as I could, as fast as I could,” she said.
“It was very much a fear of the unknown, I didn’t know what my journey with diabetes was going to mean or how it was going to impact my family. I took my diagnosis very seriously but, in the end, I was overthinking and reading into absolutely everything – I had become fixated on it.
“I feared that should my sugars drop really low during the night; would I even hear my baby crying? I developed an unhealthy habit of wakening in the middle of the night, every night to check my blood sugar levels which obviously impacted how I faced each day – this went on for around 10 years.
“At this time, I didn’t want to seek any help because I didn’t want people to assume that I wasn’t coping.”
She added: “It’s so important to get the care and support you need. I’m normally quite a private person, so I was embarrassed to seek help – I didn’t want people to see or treat me differently. I almost wanted to carry on pretending as if it wasn’t there.
“With diabetes, every day can be a learning day. But with the right mindset and wanting to show up the best I can for my young family, I eventually found my rhythm in managing my condition. Taking diabetes seriously is of course a must, but it’s equally important not to let diabetes take control of you.
“The last couple of years were of course strange with Covid, but it gave me time to focus on myself and address areas where I could improve for my own wellbeing. I aim to eat healthy, nutritious balanced meals and I love walking, so aim for 10k plus steps a day and make sure to finish each day knowing that I have done my best.
“Life is about balance, and I will enjoy celebrating occasions without any guilt attached. From where I started, I now feel so much clearer in my mind, I’m sleeping better at night and enjoying my healthier mindset.”
As part of her journey, Gemma reached out to Diabetes UK to see if she could volunteer and be around other people sharing her experiences.
”Being part of the Live Well Hub in Bangor has been fantastic – everyone can come together, share experiences, and ask for any support they may need. It’s great to be surrounded by other people who know what you are going through,” she said.
Gemma added: “For anyone living with diabetes, be that recently diagnosed or not, I just want to reassure them that there is light at the end of the tunnel and to hope for the brighter days ahead – they are coming.
”Your diabetes is part of you and never be ashamed of it, it’s also so important to speak out so you can avail of the support services available to you.
“I did struggle with my diagnosis and did hold back from sharing it outside of my family circle and closest friends. It’s vital to be around a good support network and not feel like you’re on your own, because that’s when things can feel very lonely and dark. Along with the Live Well Hubs, there are lots of excellent resources online to support you, including helplines.
”It’s by no means an easy journey, but if you are able to accept your diagnosis, learn how to adapt your lifestyle, and lean on the support of friends, family and medical professionals, you’ll very soon realise that diabetes is not something that can hinder or hold you back from what you want to achieve.”
New figures released by the Department of Health highlight diabetes as the third most prevalent health condition in Northern Ireland, with just under 112,000 cases registered across the five healthcare Trusts.
Taking into account patients aged 17 and above, the data reinforces fears of a rapidly escalating diabetes crisis, a concern recently shared by leading diabetes charity, Diabetes UK.
A breakdown of the data across all Trust areas is as follows; Belfast – 23,681, Northern – 29,212, South-eastern – 18,861, Southern, 21,567 and Western – 17,485. Prevalence reporting has been in place for almost 20 years, with the 2022/2023 figures highlighting that diabetes diagnoses have more than doubled since then.
Diabetes UK Northern Ireland National Director, Tina McCrossan, said: “Diabetes is an incredibly tough and relentless condition which has a huge impact on people’s lives, regardless of what type it may be. These new figures unfortunately highlight the growing crisis of diabetes prevalence in Northern Ireland.
“Year on year, the number of cases of all types of diabetes is growing at an alarming rate, yet we believe this condition and its impact continue to be massively underestimated.
“As we know, diabetes is the third most prevalent condition however, for the first time, these figures have also shone a light on patients registered with prediabetes, which sits at 66,009.
“Regrettably, when these two figures are combined, they push cases of diabetes and prediabetes up to nearly 180,000 and therefore, the second most prevalent condition seen in patients locally.
“To put that into perspective, this combined figure is the equivalent to 12 times the full capacity crowds that will be seen at Belsonic in the coming weeks."
Whilst treatment costs for diabetes can be difficult to quantify, it is estimated to be approximately £1million per day – accounting for 10% of the local health and social care budget.
Diabetes UK offers a dedicated diabetes helpline for all people with diabetes, their family or friends, and people who are worried they might be at risk. If you would like answers, support or just to talk to someone who knows about diabetes, contact the helpline on 0345 123 2399.
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