My name is Liv Rawlings and I am a new student at Queen's. I also live with Type 1 Diabetes. This is my journey so far.

Chronic pancreatic failure, or as you may know it type 1 diabetes. 26,000 people have type 1 diabetes in New Zealand. 1 in 500 children have type 1 diabetes. So in statistical evidence it’s not uncommon, but in a way it is. It is ‘uncommon' to find any two diabetics who deal with it the same. It is ‘uncommon’ for us to treat it the same. Diabetes shows no boundaries, shows no shape, shows no pattern.

Hi my name is Liv. I am almost 17, and I have had type 1 diabetes for 15 years. I was diagnosed when I was two years old. It was no one's fault . My older brother, Mum, Dad and I were on a holiday to Egypt when I contracted a terrible case of chickenpox. The doctor thought it was heat rash and prescribed a steroid cream which is the worst thing you can do for chicken pox. Anyway, this simple mistake - a case of chickenpox - started my journey. During this time my immune system was so weak I got Chronic pancreatic Failure or type 1 diabetes.

I have struggled to deal with it my whole life initially not wanting anyone to know. I mean I was the school freak and that's all I was seen as by other students and their parents, resulting in my mum hearing other mums tell their children not to eat too many sweets as you will end up like Olivia. This is a common misconception that upsets and annoys many type 1 and 2 diabetics as we did nothing wrong. We did not eat too many sweets or have a poor diet. I have heard many ridiculous and funny comments about diabetes in the last 15 years:

“ You can't have diabetes you’re not fat “

“ So if you're hypo you just give yourself insulin right?”

“You just do it for attention “

“I wish I had diabetes “

And my personal favourite “my cat has diabetes “.

Being a type 1 diabetic, my mind is never off. I can never just switch off. It’s constant numbers always going through my head, thinking the worst. Normally if you were to leave the house the only thing you need to worry about is having your keys, your phone and your wallet and if the door is locked . As sad as it seems I would love to just leave the house with no bag, just my phone, but I can't. I have to constantly check I have the spare pen carbs, glucose, needles, spare cannula. When you sleep you don't have to worry about the constant fear of having a hypo, but I do. 

However I bet you didn't know there are some famous people who have type 1 diabetes...Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Salma Heyak, George Lucus (star wars creator), Theresa May, Randy Jackson, Nick Jonas.

I hope by sharing a small snippet of what it's like to have type 1 diabetes you understand it a little more. I am so very thankful for those who have supported me and I hope that you can see that it's not something I can turn off. I am sorry if you find it a distraction but it’s my life and forever will be. I can’t change it. I would like nothing more than for it to go away but it won't.

Please remember that we are all different and people with type 1 diabetes struggle everyday so be compassionate and be kind as you do not know what some people have to deal with. 

If you would like more information on diabetes please go to the Diabetes Otago or New Zealand websites.

Thank you