Megan Soanes, a board member of Diabetes SA Port Elizabeth, was no stranger to diabetes when her son was diagnosed. Her husband, Scott, has been living with it for 37 years. But when her son Gabriel was diagnosed, it led her to play a more active diabetes advocacy role.
Category: Stories
Inspiring diabetes stories about living well with Type 1 or Type 2 from those who have just been diagnosed to those who have lived with diabetes for years. We feature everyone from those who have lived with Type 1 diabetes for decades, to a famous singer with Type 2 diabetes, and our own Diabetic South Africans community.
Jethro Morrison has a very unusual life with diabetes. Both he and his son are living with Type 1, and he’s a purple belt kickboxer. We asked him for a few details about kickboxing with diabetes – and their double diagnosis…
Siyabonga Kwanele Zuma is a writer and creator of the Living With Diabetes series on YouTube. He shares his story of life with Type 1 diabetes with us today.
Jehaan was diagnosed 22 years ago with Type 1 diabetes. She shares her story, struggles and best advice with us.
We were so inspired to hear about teenager Neve Quail, champion archer and living with Type 1 diabetes. We asked her to share her story here…
Anyone who meets Salih Hendricks loves him. It’s impossible not to – he’s a kind and generous soul, quick to smile and share his wisdom. He’s also a diabetic amputee, and has been sharing his journey and challenges for the past few years.. We asked Salih to tell his story, here.
Meet Lurina, or as the diabetes community knows her, The Glucose Glitch. She has been in the diabetes game for 22 years – here’s her story and her best advice for a happy life with diabetes.
One of the things we don’t talk about enough is diabetes and male complications. We want to be telling all the diabetes stories in South Africa – representing all the various lived experiences of people with diabetes. Gavin van Wyk shares his, below….
Warren Driscoll is Freddie Mercury – at least in the show ‘Queen: It’s A Kinda Magic’. And he’s living with Type 1 diabetes. “How?!” you…
Now this is a story we haven’t heard before! Patrick and Keegan are twins – both living with Type 1 diabetes… Patrick was diagnosed at 13, Keegan at 18. We asked them for more details – read on!
To celebrate 15 years of diabetes, Sweet Life’s co-founder Bridget McNulty shares 15 things she’s learnt from having diabetes…
Have you heard of Congenital Hyperinsulinism? Read on to hear Lienke’s story, and the challenges she has overcome.
None of us would choose diabetes, it’s true. But many of our community members have found a silver lining to diabetes with their diabetes-inspired businesses . Here are some of their stories – women who started a business specifically because of diabetes.
When Lize reached out to say that both she and her daughter Liya-Lome have Type 1 diabetes, we had to know more… Here’s their mother-daughter story.
We love sharing our community’s stories of life with diabetes – including how to accept a Type 1 diabetes diagnosis. Here is Mokopane Bohlale’s story.…
One of our community members, Zahni Terblanche, reached out to us with her story of diabulimia and Type 1 diabetes, and we wanted to share it to shed some light on the condition…
Living with Type 1 diabetes is a juggle at the best of times… But Type 1 diabetes and travel is even more challenging. We asked diabetes advocate Kirsten de Klerk to tell us about her adventures with travel – and what she’s learnt…
One of our community members, Sonette Smith, reached out to share her Type 1 diabetes journey with us, in the hopes that it might help someone else.
Meet Elize Cloete, living with Type 1 diabetes and using essential oils to help her diabetes control. She’s answering the question: Could essential oils help people with diabetes?
We are so proud to introduce this round-up of South African women with diabetes. What is it like to be a woman living with diabetes…
Lungelo Hadebe is an activist and the founder of YOU CAN Activists. We asked him to share his story of diabetes, dialysis and the desire to make a change.
Moji Musa is a PhD with academic and industry experience in diabetes and cardiovascular disease. She is living with Type 1 diabetes, after being misdiagnosed…
How has diabetes changed in the last 36 years? That’s the question we asked artist, writer and Type 1 diabetic Paul Edmunds – here’s what he had to say…
Have you heard about Pilots with Diabetes? They’re a group of dedicated pilots who want to change Civil Aviation laws in South Africa.
When were you diagnosed with diabetes? I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when I was 11 years old. I was very young, so it…
We know that a lot of people have been very anxious about Type 2 diabetes and COVID-19. That’s why we’ve been sharing stories of diabetes…
Kirsten De Klerk is a Type 1 diabetic, founding member of Bete It and one of the top 20 South African voices for diabetes. Her…
Holly Rey is an award-winning South African house artist living with Type 1 diabetes. Mzansi’s most loved house star has stormed into 2020 towing a…
In the last year, South Africans with diabetes have raised their voices online. Not just in online communities like Diabetic South Africans, but individually. Here…
Bete It is a South African organisation for Type 1 diabetics, by Type 1 diabetics. They’ve just launched their #cgm4all campaign – please read below…
Candy Tsamandebele is a successful songwriter and actress with her fourth album, Still Here, set for release in April 2020. She’s also a Type 2…
What does a Diabetic South African look like? We’ve just started asking that question, and encouraging people to submit videos introducing themselves, what kind of…
Diabetic retinopathy is one of the most common complications of diabetes… But what is it like to live with? Sweet Life community member Rencia Phillips…
One of our Diabetic South African community members posted this on Facebook recently, and I loved it so much I asked if I could share…
Meet Michael Marnewick, a Type 1 diabetic and active member of the Diabetic South Africans community. Michael has an inspiring take on living with diabetes,…
Earlier today, a mom messaged me on our diabetes community Facebook page, Diabetic South Africans, to say that she desperately needed strips for her Type…
Diabetes on Instagram I’d like to introduce one of my favourite Instagram feeds, Tracy Sanders. Also known as @type1tracy. Tracy has Type 1 diabetes, but…
I got this amazing email about being a Type 1 diabetic from one of our community members last week and had to share it. Would…
Type 2 diabetes on the radio For radio presenter and TV actor Kini Shandu, Type 2 diabetes gave him new meaning. Here’s what he has…
Sometimes the biggest challenge to eating a healthy diet is finding the right ingredients: here’s how Annora Mostert, the founder and group owner of Anja’s…
When Vickie de Beer’s son Lucca was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, she started a journey that ended with her publishing an award-winning cookbook and…
When Roxanne and Derick de Villiers wanted to enroll their son Noah in pre-school, they didn’t think diabetes would be an issue. When it turned…
Lessons learnt from diabetes and pregnancy Sweet Life editor and Type 1 diabetic Bridget McNulty shares her diabetes and pregnancy story – and what she…
It’s the highest mountain in Africa, but that didn’t stop Neil Rae – a Type 1 diabetic for 50 years – from wanting to climb…
Neville Pillay is one of Durban’s favourite DJs and comedians… Who just happens to be a Type 2 diabetic. We speak to him about keeping…
We chatted to community inspiration Veronica Vember about how she changes lives, one step at a time. What got you interested in diabetes at first?…
Of all the sports a diabetic could choose, ice skating – with its precision, edge of danger and need to be feeling 100% every time…
We ask Dr. Tracey Naledi, the Chief Director of Health Programmes for the Western Cape Department of Health, to share her personal health tips and what…
You would never guess that Trevor Davids, a business consultant, film and TV producer and biker filled with the joys of life, has Type 2…