Kirsten de Klerk: adventures with Type 1 diabetes

Kirsten de Klerk has been living with Type 1 diabetes for the last 16 years – but that’s not all: she’s a 32 year old with a passion for advocating for meaningful change for the South African diabetes community. Kirsten is Co-founder of SA Diabetes Advocacy, and a campaign manager for Treeshake, where she works with clients in the healthcare space. 

When were you diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes?

I was diagnosed in July 2010 at the age of 16, just after the Soccer World Cup was hosted in South Africa. I remember, because I had a bunch of friends sleep over to watch the game. One of the girls had the flu at the time and I ended up catching it. It went from bad to worse and soon I was at the doctor diagnosed with bronchitis and sent home with antibiotics. Two weeks later, I still wasn’t better and I’d lost 10kg. We went back to the doctor who told my mother that he suspected anorexia: she was told to watch me when I ate. 

My mom knew this wasn’t the case and eventually when I ended up semi-comatose on a weekend away, she took me back to the doctor and told him to do whatever blood tests he needed to figure out what was wrong with me. That evening we got a call back with the results: my blood sugar level was around 24. I was told to go straight to a specialist and took my first insulin shot that night. The rest is history.

“When I was diagnosed, I wish I had known that it is possible to live a long and healthy life with diabetes, it’s hard work and requires constant evaluation but it really is possible.”

If you could change one thing about diabetes, what would it be?

I wish I could change the issue of access for people living with diabetes. I wish that all people living with diabetes, regardless of their income bracket or location, had free access to the medical technology or medication that they needed to thrive with diabetes.

What would you say to a person with diabetes who is struggling?

In my early 20’s when I was going through diabetes burnout, I wish someone had told me about the power of the diabetes community and connecting with other people living with diabetes who truly understand what you have to deal with on a daily basis. Don’t underestimate the power of shared experiences in your struggles.

During my diabetes burnout phase, my weakness was that I tried to flip a switch overnight and tackle everything in one go. Rome was not built in a day! I learnt that I failed to get back on track all those times because I was trying to do it all. Eat a balanced diet, start an exercise regime, test my sugar levels and monitor my new insulin dosage amounts all in one go. My advice would be to take it one step at a time.

Celebrate those small wins – they are paving the way to the big win.

Do you find it helps to follow other people with diabetes online?

Very much so. I have learnt more from other people with diabetes’ experiences online than I have from my endocrinologist. In South Africa, we don’t have affordable access to diabetes educators and our endocrinologists can’t hold our hand every step of the way as much as they want to. 

Connecting online with other diabetics has afforded me a wealth of knowledge and years of diabetes experience. Of course when learning from others’ experiences, it is always important to remember to consult your doctor before making any medication or lifestyle changes. It’s also important to keep in mind that what works for one person with diabetes might not work for another.

You’ve posted about lipohypertrophy before – what have you learnt about injecting insulin?

I started off injecting my short-acting insulin into my stomach and my long-acting insulin into my thighs. I started developing bruising around my stomach area and feeling insecure about it in the summer months, when I would spend the day in a bikini on the beach. So I switched both injections to my thighs: it hurt less and there was more space to play around with. 

The truth is that every diabetic has a favourite site to inject. I became lazy and stopped rotating as much and started injecting through my clothing. After 8 years of injecting into my thighs I started noticing these lumps under my skin (lipohypertrophy). Most people wouldn’t notice it but I do because I know that they are there. I’ve learnt how important it is to change your needles regularly, rotate your injection site and not inject through your clothing (still working on this one). I rotate more frequently now. I’m hoping that by giving my favourite spot a rest, the lumps will start to fade.

What makes your life sweet?

A cup of tea, a new book or trips to the library, quality time with friends and family members, interacting with dogs, cats and all animals, exploring new places outdoors and finding ways to slow down time in an increasingly rushing world.

Follow Kirsten on LinkedIn.

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