As part of the Long Story Short series, we are sharing the stories of
people around the world who are living with type 2 diabetes. This is
Marta’s story.
Meet Marta, a positive and energetic volunteer living in Italy, who
spearheaded the opening of a local diabetes association to support
people in her community living with type 2 diabetes. Having found the
right treatment for herself by following her diabetologist’s advice,
she now encourages others to do the same.
Marta’s experience with the condition began at a young age. Growing
up, she saw her father manage his type 2 diabetes with insulin
injections multiple times a day, with her mother’s support. After
Marta’s mother passed away, her father found it difficult to manage
his condition on his own, so Marta took on the role of his primary
caregiver. To deepen her understanding of type 2 diabetes management,
she soon began joining him on his visits to their local diabetes
centre and engaging with the diabetologist to learn more.
The diabetologist noticed Marta’s fast-growing knowledge about type 2
diabetes and suggested she take the lead on opening a local chapter of
a national diabetes association in her town to support and educate
others. Initially hesitant, Marta finally agreed one year later,
deciding she wanted to share the knowledge about living with type 2
diabetes she had gained from her father’s diabetologist. Over time,
she became an active volunteer in the Italian Diabetes Association in
her town. Here, she dedicated time to organising courses with doctors
and nurses to educate her community about diabetes, including
different aspects of diabetes management such as nutrition, physical
activity and the psychological impact. Marta became deeply involved in
the local diabetes community, offering support, education and a
listening ear to people living with type 2 diabetes.
When Marta herself was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, her new
diagnosis didn’t scare her – it motivated her to prioritise her health
and make lifestyle changes to manage diabetes. She began organising
walking groups and adopted a healthier diet, with support from her diabetologist.
When her diabetologist recommended that she start insulin therapy,
Marta was not happy about it as her perception was formed by observing
her father inject himself multiple times a day. This is not uncommon –
fear
of injections and misconceptions around insulin can be a barrier
to starting treatment1.
Although initially hesitant, she followed her diabetologist’s advice
and began insulin therapy to manage her type 2 diabetes. Since then,
her perspective on insulin therapy for type 2 diabetes has changed
dramatically. She has noticed a positive impact on her overall
well-being, both mentally and physically. A much simpler medication
than she initially thought, insulin has helped her stay organised and
take better care of her health.
Having been on insulin therapy herself, Marta now uses her
experience to inform the way she interacts with people living with
type 2 diabetes, helping her build deeper connections. Marta now sees
her work with the local diabetes community in a completely different
light, and she is determined to dispel misconceptions about insulin
therapy in her community. While some believe insulin may impose
restrictions and impact their quality of life2, this
doesn’t have to be the case. Marta is passionate about educating
people, taking care to emphasise how insulin therapy has evolved
following years of discovery and innovation. There is now a range of
insulin therapies available for people with type 2 diabetes and type 1 diabetes3.
