I was very excited when Kristen McGuire (@KrisComics on Instagram and Twitter) reached out to me, because she’s a trained voice actor. Before she shared some pro-tips on how I could improve my podcast audio (thanks Kristen) she talks about her journey with T1D that is particularly interesting, having joined the T1D family during pregnancy. She talks about the tricky side to diagnosis during pregnancy, her second pregnancy (after she had Type-1) and what it’s like to play beloved anime & cosplay characters in her professional life. She even gives us a little preview of one of her characters. A must-listen!
Episode 027 - Diabetics Doing Transformation with Alexa Pearlmutter
Alexa Perlmutter (@a.pearls on Instagram) joins the Podcast to talk about her transformative journey to find balance as a T1D. She is very open about overcoming the challenges associated with T1D, and provides insight into how her Yoga practice, mindfulness and meditation carved a path for living a healthy, fun and fulfilled adult life with T1D. Alexa is extremely supportive and positive, and I’m glad she was able to share her story.
Episode 026 - Diabetics Doing Balance with Jamie Lowe
Jamie Lowe (@JamieLoweTV on Instagram) joins the Podcast from the U.K. to share his T1D story. Diagnosed after he graduated University and started his professional career, Jamie and I talk about the challenges of addressing the symptoms of T1D diagnosis as an adult, his career as a TV journalist in Bristol and how sometimes you need the help of a friend or co-worker to encourage you to go to the doctor.
Jamie has great insight on the challenges of handling the stress and anxiety of a hands-on career along with the additional worry caused by T1D, and how he keeps himself at 100%. His search for balance is inspiring and it was so refreshing to hear his perspective on how he manages his relationship with Type-1.
Episode 025 - Diabetics Doing Openness and Honesty with Veronica Urbanowiecz
Veronica Urbanowiecz (@veebombz on Instagram) joins the podcast from NYC to talk about her life with T1D. She gives a particularly personal, open and honest interview about the struggles that often accompany Type-1, the exhaustion that can go alongside the anxiety about blood sugars, and how she works through them all on a daily basis. Her interview speaks to the entire T1D online community's willingness to share the truth about T1D and the challenges that go along with it, and I encourage you to reach out and talk to another T1D if you're having a tough time. Shoot me a note if you need someone to talk to!
Episode 024 - Diabetics Doing Good Vibes with Erika Arff
Episode 024 features Erika Arff (@eearff on Instagram) a T1D since she was 8 years old. We have a refreshing conversation about adjusting to living your best life with T1D, talking travel, skiing, navigating the real world after college and the challenges that come with it and above all being mindful about your life with T1D.
Erika is very open about how she and her family adjusted to living with Type-1 over the last 16 years and how positive outlook was the biggest part of working towards acceptance of her diagnosis. Her interview is super open and honest, and I'd encourage you all to reach out to her on Instagram if you have questions.
Episode 023 - Diabetics Doing Community with Mary Lucas
Mary Lucas (@maryalessandraa on Instagram) joins the podcast to discuss what it's like being on the forefront of the T1D social media community. Mary is the Community Partners and Programs Manager at BeyondType1 so chances are you've chatted with her on the @Beyondtype1 or @BeyondType1Daily Instagram accounts.
We talk about what it's like to be on the forefront of the T1D community at BeyondType1, Mary's favorite stories from the T1D community, Diabetes and design and what we're hopeful for as T1Ds in 2017. Mary has an amazing perspective and this is a can't miss episode.
Episode 022 - Diabetics Doing Outreach with Tanya Conovaloff
Tanya Conovaloff is a nearly 41-year T1D who works as the Outreach Manager for JDRF Dallas, and has been a huge supporter of Diabetics Doing Things since I met her early in 2015. We sat down for a rare face-to-face recording of the podcast where we discussed living for 4 decades with T1D (despite being only 29), what it was like to treat T1D in the 1970s, the importance of getting involved in the T1D community, and highlight some of the amazing work that JDRF is doing for T1Ds in the U.S. and across the world.
We're very lucky to have someone as committed and enthusiastic as Tanya for our Dallas Outreach Manager, and so many of the amazing T1D community successes are a direct result of her and the JDRF Dallas staff's amazing work. When I was looking to get more involved with the T1D community, I sent an email to a general JDRF Dallas email address, and Tanya responded the same day. That conversation has led to so many opportunities to connect with other T1Ds in Dallas and across the U.S. So reach out! Get involved with your local JDRF chapter and if you don't have one, reach out to JDRF and they'll give you the resources to start one.
www.jdrf.org
Episode 021 - Diabetics Doing Glitter Glucose with Paloma Kemak
Paloma Kemak, perhaps better known as GlitterGlucose on Instagram joins the podcast to talk about how she went from being recently diagnosed with no diabetic friends or "diabuddies" to launching GlitterGlucose.com and getting connected to T1Ds all over the world!
We cover the pressures of being a "good Diabetic," living outside the box of Type 1 Diabetes, raising funds and awareness, as well as overcoming challenges and inspiring others along the way. Paloma has been a big supporter of the podcast for a long time and I'm so glad we were finally able to connect for this interview.
Episode 020 - Diabetics Doing Bike Beyond with Sid Sharma
Sid Sharma (@sid_t1d on Instagram) joins the podcast and takes us on a fantastic journey since his Diagnosis in late 2015. We talk about misdiagnosis, picking up cycling as a way to stand up to Type-1 Diabetes, taking the leap to join Bike Beyond and bike across the United States and he and I bond over sports & hypothyroidism. Sid is an awesome, energetic interview and we cover a ton of topics in a very short time.
Bike Beyond is amazing, be sure to check it out and support them!
Episode 019 - Diabetics Doing Fitness Activism with Adriana Mendez
Adriana Mendez, (@theonetype on Instagram) joins the podcast to talk about growing up with Diabetes and not remembering life without it, preparing her body for long distance rides for T1D in the Arizona heat, why she's hopeful for the future of Diabetes technology, the process of learning how your body responds to medication and being willing to work with your doctor to find the right mix.
Adriana's interview offers insight into a life lived completely with Diabetes, overcoming fear of needles and getting support from the community.
Episode 018 - European Diabetics Doing America with Barbara Saemann
Barbara Saemann joins the podcast from Minnesota, where she has moved recently to be with her husband after growing up in Germany.
We talk about the process of working up the courage to come to America and study abroad in a new culture, the challenges of planning 6 months ahead with Diabetes supplies, the differences between Diabetes coverage in Germany and the United States, and the things Barbara learned about herself along the way.
Barbara is very active in the T1d community, and writes about her experiences on Sweethearts4diabetes.com. You can follow Barbara on Instagram as well.
Episode 017 - Diabetics Doing Body Positivity with Rebecca Ryan
Rebecca Ryan joins the Diabetics Doing Things podcast from Wellington, New Zealand to talk about her journey with T1D. We talk about living with her diagnosis following her first year of University (or “Uni” as they say in NZ), and going through various phases of acceptance.
Rebecca gives one of the most energetic interviews ever on the podcast, and provides us a very personal look at the struggles she went through with body positivity, diabulemia, lifestyle changes, diet & exercise, all while balancing her personal life & career. We discuss photography, musical theatre, the importance of community, difference between Diabetes measurements in the U.S. vs. the rest of the world and everything in between.
You can follow Rebecca Ryan on Instagram if you’d like to learn more about our 17th guest.
Episode 016 - Diabetics Doing Bodybuilding with Georgia Thomson
Georgia Thomson, thfitdiabetic on Instagram, joins the podcast from the UK to talk about her fitness journey with T1D. We talk about growing up in the country with Diabetes as opposed to the city (spoiler: pony rides with low blood sugar), how fitness has changed the way she treats her Diabetes, the process of recovering from an injury and how to prepare for the highs and lows of fitness as a T1D.
Episode 015 - Diabetics Doing Empowerment with Jill Rippolone
Episode 015 features Jill Rippolone, perhaps more famous for her Instagram alter ego, T1Dchick. She is a fixture in the T1D online community, and engages with Type Ones from all over the world on a daily basis. She just celebrated her 20th diaversary, and discusses the challenges of growing up with T1D.
We also discuss the importance of empowering Type Ones to not be fearful or embarrassed by their diagnosis. Her brand is built on showcasing that T1Ds can do anything and everything that non-diabetics can. Her interview is fantastic and I hope you enjoy it.
In addition to T1Dchick, Jill also runs a Diabetic Meme Page, KissmyPancreass follow it for some good laughs!
Episode 014 - Diabetics Doing Storytelling with Neil Greathouse
Neil Greathouse is one of the most amazing voices in the T1D community. Through Neil's Instagram, he sought out to make a video every day chronicling his journey as a T1D, even if it was just offering encouragement to others. He's also the brains behind the "Type1Day1" short film, along with BeyondType1 (see below).
Neil and I talk in-depth about misdiagnosis, coping with the change that T1D brings, hacking Diabetes with technology, the importance of T1D community, as well as previewing the amazing Bike Beyond Documentary that Neil is working on this summer with BeyondType1. This is one of my favorite interviews, and I hope you enjoy it!
Episode 013 - Diabetics Doing Photo Journalism with Laura Pavlakovich
Episode 013 features Laura Pavlakovich, founder of You're Just My Type. Laura and I discuss growing up within an active T1D community as well as the work she is doing to spread T1D awareness through photo journalism. She takes us through her world travels as a T1D, gives a few powerful stories of the T1D subjects of her photos and clues us in to how she wants to grow You're Just my Type. For more, you can follow Laura's Instagram.
Episode 012 - Diabetics Doing Pump Peelz with Emily Imblum
After nearly 8 months without publishing an episode, I'm extremely excited to welcome Emily Imblum, co-founder of Pump Peelz to the podcast to talk about her unique diagnosis story as well as Pump Peelz.
Emily an her husband just welcomed their first baby and are embarking on the journey as Diabetic parents as well as Diabetic entrepreneurs as Pump Peelz continues to grow. We talk about Emily's diagnosis at age 21 as well as the growth of Pump Peelz from an idea to a full-time job for Emily and her husband.
Episode 011 - Diabetics Doing A Healthy Journey To Self Love with Sarah Hannon
This week's guest is Sarah Hannon, a 22-year old college student at Coastal Carolina University earning a degree in Marketing. A type-1 Diabetic for 13 years, Sarah is a beachbody coach and mother to three fur babies Roxy, Kahlua and Penny.
We talk about the challenges associated with making major life changes with Diabetes, what it's like to get diagnosed with divorced parents, the struggle with accepting that it's "your Diabetes" as a teen, and the importance of loving yourself throughout the diabetic journey.
To follow Sarah, check her out on Instagram @sarahkhannon for daily inspiration, workouts and more!
Episode 010 - Diabetics Doing Miss Galaxy
This week we're joined by Zara Ramsay-Nortley, current Miss Galaxy England and a British dental surgeon, where she had a particular interest in management of dental anxiety. She was awarded the A. M. Clover prize on for best demonstrating her university's motto: "dare quam accipere", "it is better to give than to receive", after co-founding the KCL SMILE Society, a organisation in which students would visit schools to improve dental and oral health and hygiene.
Zara really knows the importance of a confident smile, and is the current Miss Galaxy England. As such, she will represent England at the Miss Galaxy international beauty pageant, as well as using her title to raise awareness of Type 1 Diabetes. This summer marks her 25th year since diagnosis.
In her spare time, Zara has continued to be involved with projects to improve dental public health, and works alongside Coffee4Craig, an organization who run soup kitchens for homeless people in Manchester, England, to provide dental healthcare supplied and preventative advice. She also introduced me to the word "Brill" short for brilliant, which I will be stealing and using from here on.
Be sure to follow her on Facebook and Instagram!
Episode 009 - Diabetics Doing Activism with Elizabeth Rowley
This week on the #DDT Podcast, our guest is Elizabeth Rowley, the founder and Director of T1international, a non-profit organization working to provide adequate access to insulin, diabetes supplies, medical care and education for all people living with Type-1 diabetes.