Helen Spriggs: Running Against Diabetes

Helen Spriggs: Running Against Diabetes

HELEN SPRIGGS: RUNNING AGAINST

DIABETES

Photo: portrait. Caption: Helen Spriggs

Artwork: NFB logo at end of article

Helen Spriggs, from London, England, has been a

type 1, insulin dependent diabetic for 13 years. She also regularly competes in the

marathon, the 26.2 mile foot race. How does she do this? More important--why?

"I had always been interested in the

marathon," she says. "What a great, inspiring thing to watch people do that; the

kind of passion people had about it; the whole atmosphere. At age 13 or 14 I thought there

was no way a person with diabetes could ever do that. When you're first diagnosed...you

feel you can't achieve the things other people can. Ten years later, I decided I want to

do this, to prove to myself...that I can apply the skills and perseverance I've got from

managing my diabetes to anything."

Helen's doctors were not initially supportive.

"There is no way we can control your diabetes, I've not had another patient that's

run a marathon, I have no experience with this..." they told her.

"It appeared they were very

negative...rather than adopting a can-do attitude, kind of saying 'no, don't do it,'

rather than 'we don't know, but we can work with you.' So that made me far more

determined..."

"The first marathon I did was on April the

14th, 1997, which was also my 24th birthday," Helen explains, "so it just seemed

like a good way to celebrate it. It was really just to prove to myself that I can control

diabetes; that diabetes is not going to get control of me. Diabetes is not going to win

this race--I am."

Helen points out that there is not a lot of

information about diabetes and extended exercise. She had to evolve her own routines:

different types and amounts of insulin, injection frequencies, when and what to eat on the

way, and the right glucose monitor for testing while running.

Some details are easy: She uses a pen filled with

quick-acting Humalog insulin, and Bayer's unique Glucometer Dex:

"I tested about eight times while I was

actually running. With the Dex there is no need to actually stop (to do the test). Because

it is pre-loaded with the strips (10 tests per load), and the way in which it gets the

blood sample, the Dex just sucks the blood in, you can run and move about. This has been a

huge improvement for me, and it's helped me reduce my time from previous runs."

While Helen runs, she carries fluids, glucose

tablets, Gatorade energy drink, and fruit-flavored candies, and, because she can carry

only so much in her pack, periodically stops at stands along the way for fluids. Many of

these stands are operated by the International Diabetic Athletes Association (IDAA), and

they even offer blood glucose testing--but Helen has her Dex.

Last November 7, Helen ran the New York City

Marathon, along with about 30,000 other brave souls. She finished it in five hours, 37

minutes, and four seconds. Her average blood glucose, during the race, was about 100mg/Dl.

Although she didn't win this race, she competed and finished without difficulty.

Try running a mile, or five miles. Then imagine

running more than 26 miles, and you'll see that even without diabetes, running marathon

races takes a very special degree of commitment and dedication. Why does Helen run?

"It's about me taking control, and managing

it through the 26.2 miles. And, I think as well...if I can change just one person's

outlook on diabetes, if I can make a difference to one person, make them sit up and

listen, take control of their diabetes instead of their diabetes controlling them, then

I've won the greatest race. It didn't matter that I didn't come first in the race, out of

all the runners; to myself I came in first if I change one person's perception of

diabetes. If I change one person's views by running it, that's a win--I've won."

When not in training for the next marathon (she

has competed in six), Helen works as a counselor and fund-raiser, for the British Diabetes

Association's Youth and Family Services Team. By serving as an example and role model for

young people with diabetes, Helen Spriggs is indeed a winner!