Hello from Wadawurrung Country (Australia) Everyone!

Thank you for visiting the Deevabetic Defeat Diabetes Donate-a-thon domain. I hope you’ll stay a for a bit, read my story, and support this purposeful philanthropic enterprise for Joslin Diabetes Center.

I'm absolutely thrilled to be running the 2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon with the dedicated team members of Team Joslin, who hail from all over the world and are raising vital funds for Joslin Diabetes Center.

I am humbled by the opportunity to run in Chicago, which is the ancestral lands of the Ojibwe, Odawa, Potawatomi, Ho-Chunk, Kaskaskia, Kickapoo, Mascouten, Menominee, Meskwaki, Myaamia, Peoria, and Sac and Fox Peoples. It's all so incredible. What is also incredible is that I get a chance to infuse some coins, dollars, money, ducats, funds into Joslin Diabetes Center, which is world-renowned for its deep expertise in diabetes treatment and research. Joslin is dedicated to creating a world without diabetes an its complications. Part of Beth Israel Lahey Health, Joslin is dedictaed to finding a cure for diabetes and ensuring that people with diabetes live long, healthy lives. They develop and disseminate innovative patient therapies and scientific discoveries throughouot the world. Joslin is affiliated with Harvard Medical School and one of only 18 NIH-designated Diabetes Research Centers in the U.S.

My diabetes story began about 5 years ago, shortly after finishing my first marathon, the Rock n’ Roll San Diego Marathon. I was experiencing the classic 4 symptoms: Excessive Thirst, Frequent Urination, Exhaustion and Weight Loss. I felt terrible. I knew something wasn’t right when I started training for the Melbourne Marathon and had the worst run in my life. The effort to manage 5K was colossal. I couldn’t get enough rest. Simple activities were laborious. I struggled in all aspects of my life. I relayed my symptoms to my mom, and she mentioned diabetes. I didn’t seriously consider it as in my mind I was thinking Type 2 and I had been on a health and weight loss journey and was otherwise quite fit and healthy. Since then, I’ve unlearned many of the myths and misconceptions surrounding the different types of diabetes.

I was finally motivated to go to my doctor when I felt miserable on my 39^th birthday. I had been feeling quite unwell for several weeks at this point and could barely manage to get through my own birthday celebration. That coupled with the dwindling weight prompted the call to my doctor as I knew how challenging it was for me to lose weight in the past and to do so without any effort was alarming.

Sure enough my doctor gave me a preliminary diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes and sent me to the Emergency Room. Thankfully my partner accompanied me to the appointment and took me to the ER. I was fortunate enough to have an attentive caring doctor, who coincidentally also had a personal connection with Type 1 Diabetes.

In the ER I was administered insulin and fluids, endured a battery of tests and was given a crash course in Type 1 Diabetes by the great team at University Hospital Geelong.

My diagnosis story took an interesting turn when I tested negative to all known Type 1 Diabetes antibodies. It is an autoimmune disease, but a small percentage of people test negative for known antibodies and are categorized as having Idiopathic Type 1 Diabetes. It predominantly impacts people of color and is under-researched and I’m hoping to bring more awareness to this underrepresented group of people with Idiopathic Type 1 Diabetes.

I have since adjusted to life with Type 1 Diabetes. Every day is an adventure. I didn’t get to run the Melbourne Marathon the year of diagnosis. I finally ran it last year while completing my own  Deevabetic Triple Crown where I ran 3 Marathons in 3 Months: The Nike Melbourne Marathon, The TCS New York City Marathon and the Honolulu Marathon. I’m delighted to be tackling marathons #7 and #8 and possibly more this year. I’m proud to be on this odyssey and have learned so much about myself in the process. 

While I have Type 1 Diabetes, I am also deeply impacted by Type 2 Diabetes as both of my wonderful parents live with Type 2 Diabetes. There is a strong family history of both Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes. I am more determined than ever to work towards a world without diabetes. It’s reach and impact spans the globe and I believe in the global efforts of individuals, organizations and medical teams striving for a cure for all types of diabetes.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story and learn more about Joslin Diabetes Center. I’d love for you to help support Team Joslin for the 2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon by giving a gift today to help patients and their families living with diabetes and it complications. All of the funds raised by Team Joslin supports the High Hopes Fund at Joslin Diabetes Center. These funds ultimately contribute to Joslin's capacity to prevent, treat, and cure diabetes through cutting-edge clinical care and research programs.

 I highly encourage you to share my FUNraising page and send it to anyone you think might be interested in donating! Be well!