Our family
I come from a large family and am the youngest of three children. We’re first-generation Caribbean – my mother was born and raised in Guyana, South America, and my father in Jamaica. He came to England in the 1960s and my mother in the 1980s. I’m a social worker by profession, a job which I feel deeply connected to because it allows me to work closely with people and communities. I am also involved in the Flagz Mas band, which is really special to me – it gives me the chance to celebrate my heritage, create unforgettable experiences, and be part of a community that feels like family. Being able to contribute to something that brings so much joy and unity is deeply meaningful to me.
Unfortunately, diabetes has cast a long shadow over our family, especially as more members began to show signs over time. My dad has lived with type 2 diabetes since the 1980s and is insulin dependent. My two older brothers have also been diagnosed, and on a wider scale, my grandparents and an uncle lived with it too.
"My eldest brother was diagnosed when he was 34 – he started showing common symptoms: constant thirst, frequent urination, extreme fatigue and losing weight without trying to."
At first, he didn’t link those symptoms to diabetes. Things worsened during a family holiday in the US, where he sought medical advice and they told him he was showing signs of diabetes. Following his return to the UK, he saw a GP and got the diagnosis.
My middle brother followed a similar path in 2024, with a diagnosis in his early 30s as well. Both of my brothers were diagnosed at around the same age as my father.