This week I chat to Pete Davies, a retired teacher who was diagnosed with diabetes in 1956 at the age of 2 - that’s some 63 years strong with type 1. He didn’t have an insulin pen or glucose meter until he was in his 30s.

Growing up in Kenya in the 1960s, Pete would inject using glass syringes and needles that needed to be boiled and sharpened between uses. There were no blood glucose meters, so Pete and his family would use urine tests and a colour chart to gauge glucose levels - anything below 10 mmol/l was considered 'low', and the results would be four hours behind his current blood sugar levels.

Having discovered the diabetes community more than 50 years after his diagnosis, Pete now spends his time sharing his experiences with other type 1s and healthcare professionals, having witnessed huge advancements in treatment and technology over his lifetime. It was fascinating to hear how far we've come in just a few decades, and speaking to Pete made me feel a lot calmer about the day-to-day incessant nature of living with type 1. Above all else Pete is a lovely, lovely man and one we're very lucky to have within the community.

Find Pete on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PeteDaviesType1

This episode is sponsored by Dexcom and Ypsomed MyLife Diabetescare
https://www.dexcom.com
https://www.mylife-diabetescare.com