Age: 44 Year Diagnosed: 2000 Location: Montclair, NJ
“I've always been a dreamer- but I realized later on in life that I also am driven to pursue that which I envision. I am an artist deep down inside. I love to perform and I absolutely love to sing! I knew from a young age that this was what I wanted to be- a singer, dancer, model. I dreamed of it as a kid and I got to do a lot of what I dreamed of. One thing i didn't see coming was being diagnosed with Type One Diabetes at a time where everything I ever wanted was coming to pass.
I struggled with Diabetes management for such a long time and it had me to miss the mark when it came to being my best on the stage. To my detriment- something bigger than Diabetes was getting in the way of my blood sugar management and that was an eating disorder that is sometimes called Diabulimia. Diabulimia is associated with insulin omission to lose weight. I did this for over 10 years. I was literally "Dying to be Thin" in an industry that glorifies such statues. I can recall being rather sick days before my most memorable auditions with artist such as Jay-Z, Kanye West, P. Diddy, and Missy Elliot to name a few. One night I was so sick from not taking my insulin for 4 days that I took about 20 units of insulin the night before an important meeting with my ex boss and record executive L.A. Reid. I prayed I would wake up the next day well enough for the meeting. Thinking back on that night now, I'm lucky to have woken up at all. An A1c between 12-15 was my norm for years and I didn't come out of this unscathed. I do have diabetes complications as a result of Diabulimia. Taking it back to being a driven dreamer- once I became a mother (something I also didn't see coming) My priorities shifted to being as healthy as possible. I wasn't so sure I could do it, though. Since my diagnosis, I had never even been in a healthy mindset or blood sugar number. So I was on a quest to prove it to myself that it was indeed possible. I pursued the vision I had of myself healthy, happy, and with the lowest A1c since diagnosis and I DID IT! I started to develop a new relationship with my health and with my insulin. It took relentless work and it was so worth it. It is the inspiration for this new chapter of my life to reach back and help those who are still struggling with Diabetes self-management. I'm currently in school studying Nutrition and Wellness with a long term goal of developing programs for people with Diabetes. I've also started a non-profit called "The Anchor Holds". My intent is to be an anchor in the diabetes community by way of education, guidance, and encouragement. I'm your ultimate cheerleader- Singing Cheerleader!”