Hi! My name's Laura and I've lived with Type 1 diabetes for 16 years. I was diagnosed at the age of 16 and at the time I had no idea what diabetes was or what it would mean for me and my family.
I really struggled to come to terms with my diagnosis and didn't accept it for the first 10 years. However, after using daily multiple injections since I was diagnosed I moved towards insulin pump therapy and I've been using my Roche Accu-Chek Combo (named Iain) for almost 2 years.
The insulin pump (I currently use an Accu-chek), combined with structured education from my health care team and the support of people that I've met online have made a hugely positive difference to my life with diabetes. I also intermittently use a CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitor) as and when funds allow.
I set up Ninjabetic when I realised that there was very little in the way of diabetes support in my local area. I wanted to connect with other people who have or are involved in diabetes, both online and face-to-face. I also wanted to have an online platform for health care professionals to able to direct their patients to for support.
As time went by I started connecting with more and more people; patients, families, carers, health care professionals, industry professionals and charities. I realised that I had a passion in raising awareness for people with diabetes, the care that we receive, the services that are delivered to us and the treatments that we are offered.
Not only did I want to share my experiences, past and present, with others who are experiencing similar to me, but I wanted to make a difference to the diabetes experience that we receive from health care professionals.
So that's what I'm trying to do; make a difference to people who have diabetes by supporting and empowering them through this condition, but also working with professionals to ensure that we can have the best diabetes service possible, throughout the UK.
This online platform offers a fantastic support network for patients and their loved ones, and it also provides health care professionals and industry professionals a method of engaging with patients to find out what they really want and need from their care.
