Embrace The Change
The realisation that your purpose in life is to stand out, to be bold, and to redefine every challenge that life throws at you can be very daunting, especially when you are a young teenage girl, moving from a small town to a big city.
Melissa was only 13 years old when her parents decided to send her to boarding school. Just like all the previous challenges in her life - she embraced the change. She felt passionate about sport and schoolwork and over-achieved in both. During her preparations for the Midmar Mile, Melissa started complaining about not feeling very well. She had all the symptoms people with type 1 diabetes experience, but like most of us, this condition never even entered her mind.
Being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes was a tremendous shock and concern not only to her, but also to her parents. She loved boarding school and knew that in order for her to stay, she had to empower herself and maintain her positive outlook on life. Knowledge on diabetes management became her biggest weapon. “At the time of diagnosis I never wanted to see diabetes as just a disease but rather as a manageable condition that requires both insulin and a strong mindset.”
Like most people with diabetes, she too felt the brunt of people’s ignorance. She made a conscious decision to use her condition as a tool to break misconceptions and decided never to shy away from testing her glucose levels or using her insulin pump in public.
As a contract lecturer in the Department of General Humanities Education at the University of Pretoria, Melissa got the nickname of “Iron Woman.” During a lecture, her insulin pump alerted her of a low blood sugar. She addressed the alert but also used the opportunity to explain diabetes and the value of using medical technology to enhance her quality of life and well-being.
Her advice to young people: “Life is so much more rewarding when you embrace the qualities that make you different and when you realise that, notwithstanding your challenges, you can live a life without limitations.”