Burdekin Local Wins Award For Managing 60 Years With Diabetes

By Ruth Puddefoot

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Having Diabetes is a monumental task that many people do not even realise.
One person who truly understands this feat is Heather Andrews from Ayr. With 60 years of managing diabetes under her belt, Heather has an exceptional grasp of the condition.
On the 21st of July, Heather flew to Brisbane where she won a Gold Kellion Victory Medal, for 60 years of managing the chronic disease.
Heather’s journey with diabetes began when she was just eight years old, after her mother picked up that something was wrong.
After taking Heather to the doctor in search of answers, her mother picked up a Woman's Weekly from the waiting room coffee table. She noticed an article about diabetes and it suddenly occurred to her that this might be what Heather was experiencing. She brought the magazine with her into the doctor's office, and the diagnosis was confirmed.
Heather explained that her biggest challenge when she was diagnosed in 1961 was learning to self-administer an insulin needle, which, are very different to what you see now days, with big glass syringes and 1-inch-long needles.
“Totally different to today,” Heather emphasised.
Heather explained, how back when she was diagnosed in the 60s there wasn't a lot of help around, and it wasn't until the 80s that Heather started with a diabetes specialist.
Every diabetic is unique, and there is no set path to maintaining the condition:
“Really you are on your own with it, every diabetic is different”
Heather says what she thinks has helped her maintain Diabetes for so long is watching what she eats:
“You have to watch what you eat; you can have a certain amount of sugar, but about a teaspoon full a day.”
“You have also got to watch the fats.”
“I had to measure everything I eat, and weigh everything.”
“I don't need to weigh anymore as I can just look at something and know how much I can eat.”
It is important to have family and friends there to support you, and Heather says her life has been saved several times by her mother and husband:
“My mum has saved my life a couple of times and my husband now; he has saved my life a couple of times too!”
Heather explained how people close to you can often tell when your sugars are dropping low:
“My husband can tell by the way I talk or by the look in my eye, he knows straight away.”
“I also had a little dog that used to be able to tell when blood sugars were dropping low.”
Diabetes can be particularly dangerous when you lose the feeling of your blood sugar level dropping – this is called Hypo-unawareness. Heather sadly has got to this stage and has gone unconscious several times due to this. However, new medical advancements have helped:
“The new sensors that you wear on your arm tell you that your blood sugars are dropping low.”
“The medical side has come on leaps and bounds so people have a lot more support now.”
Heather says that while growing up with diabetes itself wasn't too challenging for her, the lack of understanding around the disease during her younger years were significantly more difficult to handle:
“People didn't understand diabetes back then, so kids wouldn't touch me at school.”
“Even the teachers, they used to put my desk right up the back corner and tell me to stay there.”
“I was the only one in town who had it, no one had ever had it before.”
Heather explained that managing diabetes is "very hard," which makes her achievements and the award she received all the more remarkable, especially considering she was told by doctors that she wouldn’t make it to 40 years old.
Heather wanted to reiterate that just because you have diabetes, doesn't mean you have to be limited to what you can do in life:
“With type 1 diabetes you can do anything you want; you can get out there and become prime minister if you want.”
“I've been watching the Olympic games and I've noticed that some of those people have the same sensor on their arm as what I'm wearing.”
Big well done Heather!

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Heather Andrews proudly holding her Gold Kellion Victory Medal

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