My mum lives with type 2 diabetes. When she carried me, she had gestational diabetes and then developed type 2 about 10 years later in her thirties. 

At the age of 28, I was in a new relationship and we were going out to eat a lot. I was enjoying life and having a good time. This meant I’d put on three and a half stone. 

I knew being overweight as well as my mum having had gestational diabetes put me at higher risk of type 2 diabetes, so I went to the doctor to have an HbA1c blood test. 

My HbA1c level was 44mmol/mol which put me into the ‘at risk’ or prediabetic range.

I was in denial. My mindset was not to do something about it as I thought I’m heading down the road to type 2 diabetes anyway. 

I first came across the ELSA study when I was scrolling on social media in late 2023. Having type 1 diabetes, I knew that Imogen would have a higher risk herself and at the back of my mind I’d always thought – ‘is this going to be part of her journey?’. So, I signed her up straight away.

The pack came in the post with a finger-prick blood test kit. We did it, sent it off, and then honestly forgot about it.

Two or three months later I got a call from a member of the ELSA team. They explained that Imogen had some of the protein markers in her blood that they test for, called autoantibodies. But we’d need to visit a hospital to have a further blood test to confirm the results and find out how many autoantibodies Imogen had. That would tell us more about her future risk.

We got a phone call with those results a few weeks later while Imogen and I were in the supermarket car park together. The nurse on the call explained Imogen had three autoantibodies and that meant she was going to get type 1 diabetes at some point in the future. Imogen was so calm about it – she said to me, 'That's OK, can we go and get some chocolate now?'

"I’m in my fifties. My cholesterol and blood pressure were going the wrong way. And my blood sugar levels had just gone into the prediabetes range, at 42mmol/mol. 

My GP, who understands the condition, said they needed to help me stop going further into the prediabetes stage or into the type 2 diabetes stage. He suggested I go on the Diabetes Prevention Programme run by my local health board in Northern Ireland.

Initially, you’re a bit dubious about the course. You think why am I doing this? And you think it’s just another health service tick box. But the person running it was very good, and the course was so valuable that I didn’t miss one session. Even when I was abroad, I’d dial in.

You have emotional ups and downs on the course. Some days you struggle, but I didn’t lose heart."

In early 2023, I noticed my son Thomas was getting thinner at first but, being 14 years old, we thought he was having a growth spurt. However, soon after we noticed he was incredibly thirsty, tired and was frequently visiting the toilet – the 4Ts. After a visit to the GP, his diagnosis of type 1 diabetes was confirmed and we were sent to the hospital where his blood glucose levels were very high, with ketones present. 

"I remember thinking to myself that week, if I could give him my pancreas, I would – it’s what any parent would think. A few weeks later, the doctor said if my son’s diabetes had gone undetected any longer, he could have become seriously unwell."

Just 18 months later, I noticed my husband had similar symptoms but less obvious. I suspected that he had diabetes too and it took a little time to convince him to visit the GP – he was diagnosed at the age of 50. 

I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes quite late in my second pregnancy, but I was able to manage it through diet alone and didn’t require any medication.

After my baby son was born, my glucose levels returned to normal, and no further treatment was needed. However, while I was still in hospital, it was mentioned that having gestational diabetes put me at a much higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future, which really worried me. So, at my six-week post-partum check-up, after having my HbA1c blood test, I asked at my GP surgery to be referred for an NHS type 2 prevention course.  I was soon enrolled onto the online England course for women who have had gestational diabetes. 

Going on the course

I first heard about the course while in hospital following my diagnosis with gestational diabetes. So it was already on my radar as something I might want to pursue. I was pleased to get a place on the course and really enjoyed all it had to offer.  

Sometimes it was challenging to find the time, especially when needing someone to look after the children. I wanted to have the space to listen properly and to be present with what other people were saying, so childcare could be tricky at times, but I was lucky that my partner has a flexible job and was able to help. 

"Occasionally I would have the baby with me, and everyone was so understanding, and we all just got on with it."  

The course was so incredibly worthwhile, and I’m so glad I invested the time in it. I got a lot out of it, and being part of a warm and supportive community made a huge difference. The group was made up entirely of women, and because the course was tailored specifically to our experiences, everyone was very understanding and encouraging.  We all came from different backgrounds, so it felt like a genuine cross-section of society.