“IT’S GREAT CONNECTING WITH OTHERS MY AGE WHO HAVE TYPE 1”

For David Hawes, now 26, joining JDRF’s T1D Connect Facebook group provided a lifeline during dark times. Almost four years ago he was an active, happy and healthy 21-year-old when, over two weeks, he suddenly found himself losing weight rapidly and developing an insatiable thirst. The result? A type 1 diagnosis and a short stay in intensive care.

“When I came out of hospital almost two weeks later, I felt my life had been turned upside down,” Melbourne-based David recalls. “While my friends were out partying, I was trying to tame this monster called diabetes. I struggled to cope emotionally, I stopped going to dinner with friends and I injected in secret. Hard as I tried, being positive and staying happy was almost unimaginable. Though my friends and family were very supportive, I felt they didn’t completely understand what I was going through.”

Months later, while he was accessing diabetes information online, David came across the JDRF support group. “I was so happy and I was one of the first 30 to join,” he recalls. “The support group has given me a platform to talk openly about my lifestyle and mental health and connect with other people my age who have type 1. There are no health professionals or even parents involved so we all feel able to express ourselves honestly without being judged. We swap tips about everything – diet, exercise, injecting, insulin pumps and glucose monitors. Comments are always met with support and advice from others. And if you’re having a bad day you can reach out to other members of the group and immediately you receive messages of understanding and helpful advice that boost your mood.”

Through the group, David has also connected with a new best friend who lives in Queensland. The pair talk every day on Facebook and are even planning to meet up later this year. “My support group is much more than just a community of likeminded people, it is a place where I always feel loved, encouraged, normal and understood,” he explains. “This support group has helped me feel tougher and stronger and I no longer feel alone. As a result I’m back to being the fit, healthy and very positive person I was prior to my diagnosis.”

I feel so happy … you can reach out and receive advice that BOOSTS YOUR MOOD