World Diabetes Day 2016 - Thank You

I feel hesitant to blog today since there has been such a fantastic offering to the diabetes blogging world this past month, but at the same time it would have been wrong of me, as an advocate, to let this opportunity slip away.

Today I feel blessed. I feel grateful. I feel privileged, I feel lucky and most importantly I feel humbled.

The 14th November is marked each year as World Diabetes Day. It is the anniversary for Frederick Banting's birthday (125th this year) who was a Canadian man that was the first to use insulin on humans. The man I owe my entire life to, so thank you, Dr Banting for that little discovery you made.

Ultimately I would like to thank our wonderful NHS for ensuring I have my medical supplies, family and friends and the incredible Diabetes charities, Diabetes UK and JDRF, for the research they continue to do. Last but not least are the lovely people living with Diabetes. This is our day, and may we shout it from the rooftops with joy, pride and happiness. I have Type One Diabetes and I am proud to stand amongst you.

World Diabetes Day is about raising awareness, in any way that you can.

24/7. 365 days. No annual leave

Today is one of the rare occasions that I feel lucky to have Diabetes - I know that sounds crazy but bare with me. Look at all it has given me; resilience, strength, a social media and traditional media platform and voice, friends, confidence and passion.

I am the luckiest girl in the world.

My entire day has been filled with nothing but positivity, and heck do I feel lucky to be able to be part of that. The Diabetes Online Community (DOC) has been holding tweet chats the entire day, advocates being interviewed both for online articles and radio segments and blogs released from a multitude of people with diabetes. It is so rare that such a large volume of people come together to celebrate the same cause, a silver lining to the roller-coaster that is Diabetes. Turning what is more often than not, a negative into a positive is an incredible thing to do.

I was lucky enough to be asked to team up with BBC Newsbeat to raise awareness of the daily struggles that Type One Diabetes brings, you can read the article here. I feel privileged to be given a traditional media platform to dance upon the stage. I also had segments on BBC Radio 1 over the course of the day. I am proud of my blog, which has been running for just 9 months with 41 published posts!

I am going to finish this years World Diabetes Day by going to see the Spinnaker Tower lit up blue to commemorate this special day. Portsmouth is my home town so I am excited that they are getting involved and raising awareness for a condition, so explicitly close to my heart. I feel quite emotional actually, watching a community of people from all over the world come together is powerful and that should never be underestimated.

Doing what I love the most

Happy Diabetes Day, whether you are a person living with Diabetes or not, please help us share our message all year round. (For the meantime I'll just keep blogging..)

Sencirely, thank you.

Amber xx