How a School Holiday Diagnosis Changed Everything

“They asked me, ‘Have you heard of type 1 diabetes?’” Sab recalls.  

A boy in their class lived with type 1 diabetes, so Sab thought they knew what it meant.  

“I said, ‘Yeah, it’s where you get to eat jellybeans.’ Little did I know!” 

Within hours of that first GP visit, Sab was on their way to Monash Medical Centre, where they would spend five days learning about a condition that would be part of their life forever. 

Like so many people diagnosed with diabetes, Sab and their parents suddenly had a lot to learn. Managing blood glucose levels, taking insulin, and understanding how food, exercise and everyday life all affect diabetes. 

It was the beginning of a long and sometimes difficult journey. But thanks to support from Diabetes Victoria, Sab never had to navigate the journey alone. 

14 years later, Sab is living well with type 1 diabetes.  

From developing leadership skills through the Future Leaders Program to accessing specialist support through the Diabetes Care Plus clinic, each experience with Diabetes Victoria has played a crucial role in helping them build knowledge, confidence and resilience.  

One of the most important turning points on their journey was only a year after their diagnosis, when Sab attended their first diabetes camp.  

“Camp absolutely changed my life for the better,” says Sab.  

“It was the first place where I could fully embrace life with diabetes and feel confident to try new things without feeling different from my friends. It gave me space to reset and have fun while feeling safe in the hands of diabetes healthcare professionals.”  

For the first time, they were surrounded by people who understood life with diabetes. They formed friendships and became part of a community that is still important to them today.  

This support has been crucial, because like many people living with diabetes, Sab’s journey hasn’t been without challenges.  

Managing diabetes every day can be physically and emotionally exhausting. A few years after their diagnosis, Sab experienced diabetes burnout and spent time in hospital. 

“14 years since my diagnosis, I’ve been through a lot of ups and downs, but I think I’m through the worst”, says Sab. “My teenage years were definitely the hardest”.  

One thing has remained constant: support. People who understood, clinicians who could provide guidance, education and encouragement, and a community that genuinely cared.  

At Diabetes Victoria, we believe that one size doesn’t fit all. Diabetes is a complicated and often misunderstood condition. That’s why providing tailored, personalised care is so crucial.  And that’s where Diabetes Victoria’s services and programs play such an important role.  

Sab knows firsthand the difference that support can make at different stages of their journey.  

As they’ve grown older, their diabetes management has evolved too. In 2019, Sab began using their first insulin pump. And, in 2024, they connected with Diabetes Victoria’s Diabetes Care Plus clinic for support with transitioning to an automated insulin delivery system.  

New diabetes technology can be life-changing, but it requires education, guidance and ongoing support. Through Diabetes Care Plus, Sab was supported by a specialist team who helped them build confidence using the new technology. 

Sab’s connection with Diabetes Victoria has now come full circle. In 2013, they attended their first diabetes camp. In 2022, they volunteered at camp for the first time. And today, they work at Diabetes Victoria as the Diabetes Camps Victoria Support Officer, where they help create the same support and connections that have had such a profound impact on their own life.  

Support looks different for every person living with diabetes. For someone newly diagnosed,  it may mean having a trusted source of information. For a young person, it may mean attending diabetes camp and discovering they are not alone. For someone managing new technology  or treatment, it may mean receiving expert clinical guidance.  

“Diabetes Victoria programs and services truly make an  impact in the lives of people living with diabetes,” says Sab.  

“I have seen it firsthand in children aged five years old and in people who have celebrated 75 years living with diabetes.” 

“The way I see it, every donation helps to make the lives of people living with diabetes longer, less of a burden and every bit more fulfilling.”  

Thanks to Diabetes Victoria, Sab found a community that continues to support and inspire them more than a decade after diagnosis. They have received access to specialist clinical care when they need it. And they have found purpose through helping deliver the camps that they have enjoyed so much.   

This Christmas, we are calling on your support so more Victorians living with diabetes can experience that same sense of connection, confidence and hope. 

From peer support groups and diabetes camps to specialist care through Diabetes Care Plus, research and advocacy, we support the diabetes community at every stage of the journey.  

Sab has seen first-hand the difference support makes – fourteen years ago, Sab was a 10-year-old learning what type 1 diabetes meant for the first time.  

Today, they help support children and young people living with diabetes through their work at Diabetes Victoria. It’s a powerful reminder of what support and community can make possible.