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Listen to Haywood’s story

As a college basketball referee, I was shocked when I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I thought I was eating right and exercising enough. My mother had diabetes, but I thought I was too young to get it. I went to a nutritionist and learned about controlling my portions and which foods I should stay away from. I started eating more salads and fewer fried foods, and I read food labels a lot.

Since I have diabetes, my daughters are at increased risk for the disease. And my wife is also at risk because her father had type 2 diabetes. I’m teaching my wife and daughters to read food labels too, so we’re a family of label readers now. My family is supporting my lifestyle changes by making them with me. I hope that the changes they are making will help them keep from getting diabetes in the future.

Watch Sorcy’s video   Listen to Sorcy’s story

When I found out I had diabetes, the first thing I had to do was educate myself. I attended classes to better understand what portion control and carbohydrate counting meant. Counting carbs has been especially challenging. I’m Filipino, and our basic food staple is rice. My family used to eat rice with a passion, and for family gatherings, we used to have a rice cooker that made 30 cups of rice. Now we have a 10-cup rice cooker, and everyone eats a little less.

As I educate myself about my diabetes, I teach my family about their risk for developing it. My father had diabetes and my sister has the disease, and now that I have it my other siblings know they’re at risk. By watching what I eat and managing my diabetes, I hope that I can be a good role model for my family. I know there is always the potential for complications with my diabetes, but I'm learning to manage it instead of letting it manage me.

Watch Latecia’s video

Growing up, I watched my mother battle diabetes. I knew it was a struggle, but I never quite understood the impact it had on her until I became her primary care giver. Just learning about her hardship and what she’s gone through has made me want to prevent it for me and my family. I knew that being overweight put me at higher risk for diabetes, so I made an appointment with my doctor to make a plan to get my weight under control. I began paying more attention to how much I was eating and started to get out and move more. I made time for being active with my husband and kids, like playing football when I got home from work and going for walks.

The more educated we all are about preventing diabetes, the easier it is to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I feel wonderful now, and I’ve lost 85 pounds. In the past, my mood was down and I had a lot of weight that I was carrying. That was just an extremely horrible feeling. Now I feel more motivated. I feel good about myself.

I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes when I was pregnant with my first child. After my baby was born, a test showed that my blood glucose went back to normal, so for a while I didn’t think any more about it. But when I had another test later on to follow up, my blood glucose was higher than normal and I found out that I had prediabetes. I was pretty surprised, and I knew I had to do something. I joined a diabetes education program at my local hospital and started making changes to what I was eating and how much exercise I was getting. I replaced my chocolate snack cake stash with fresh fruit and started taking daily walks.

The great news is that I improved my blood sugar in just a few months, and when I got pregnant again a year later, I didn’t develop gestational diabetes. Every day I still work to live a healthy life by staying active and making the right food choices. I’m definitely holding a line against the disease.

Listen to David’s story

I was diagnosed with diabetes when I was 25, during graduate school. I knew absolutely nothing about it when I was first diagnosed. I knew that it was serious, but I didn’t really understand what it was about. I learned all I could and what I needed to do to manage my diabetes. I’ve adopted a “thoughtful” diet—I’m conscious of what and how much I’m eating—and I make it a priority to exercise first thing each morning. That way, I’m sure to get it done, even when I’m busy.

The most important thing I do to manage my diabetes is test my blood glucose. Diabetes can be difficult, but it’s not a game of perfection—it’s a game of averages. I like to give myself some flexibility so that I can have a rich and rewarding lifestyle, and testing my blood sugar helps me balance out the times that I allow myself a little indulgence with times that I’m paying more attention to the rules of the game.

For me, preventing diabetes is about keeping history from repeating itself. My mother had diabetes, and complications of it caused her to lose her eyesight and her kidneys to fail. Diabetes may run in families, but I’m determined to break the cycle. When I was pregnant with my son, I told my doctor about my family history of diabetes and made sure I got tested for gestational diabetes (GDM). In my seventh month I found out I had GDM, but immediately I began working with my doctor to get educated and make a plan to manage it.

My son is now nine years old, and he, my husband, and I keep up our healthy habits together— whether it’s going for a walk in the park, playing soccer, or grilling out. Life is all about choices, and that's what staying healthy is really about. Making the choice to eat healthy and exercise is simple. Sticking to a plan can be challenging, but it is possible…and the fact that I’m still diabetes-free proves it!

In high school, it’s all about looking good. But when I was 17, I weighed 360 pounds. I didn’t like how I looked, and I didn’t really talk to anyone. I felt isolated and depressed and angry all the time. When my cousin died at age 40 from complications of diabetes, I knew I didn’t want to end up the same way. Around the same time I found out that I had very high blood pressure and was at risk for getting diabetes. I was nervous and a little scared, but I started working with a dietitian, who helped me figure out what foods I was eating too much of—my “red light” foods—the unhealthy stuff like chips, hamburgers, and soda. I gave up fast food and started eating healthier sandwiches with carrots instead of fries.

I started working out too—walking and jogging, and I learned how to box. It took a little while to start feeling better and seeing results—and it wasn’t easy—but I kept at it because I knew it would work. Since high school, I’ve lost 60 pounds and counting. Now, I have a new vision for my future. I have hope for an active life, and I want to travel as a boxer. I feel awesome.

To watch a short, inspirational video about Sterling, visit the IHS Division of Diabetes Treatment and Prevention website.