Podding Peers
Below are some of the amazing people that have been part of the group.
James (Podding Peer Support Lead)
"Hi there, my name is James. I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2012 and started using Omnipod in June 2022. My reason for being part of the group is that I am the lead facilitator. It has been the most amazing experience meeting other Omnipod users. I am also a Diabetes Specialist Nurse but this group has taught me so much and made a real positive difference."
Helen (Podding Peer Support Lead)
"Hi, I’m Helen and I started Podding in November 2022. I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1994 so have seen a lot of improvements in diabetes care, both medical and wellbeing, and advancements in technology over the past 29 years. The period from diagnosis in my late teens took me through university study and social life, fast paced working and travelling, preparing for pregnancy and starting a family, and being thrown the curveball of early-perimenopause. So a huge variety of lifestyle and hormonal challenges. After 6 years on a tubed pump, I was so pleased to be offered Omnipod Dash as one of the replacement options. It’s been a revelation and I use it in combination with Libre 2. I attended my first LLR Omnipod Group meeting in May 2023 and wish I’d joined earlier. Our monthly meetings are warm, welcoming, themed and chatty and the group members are just like me, normal people with T1D who understand what I’m talking about, who’ve experienced similar situations and can offer advice or moral support. There’s been so much to learn from peers via the WhatsApp group and it’s so easy going and non-judgemental that I’m comfortable with making contributions too. I’d urge other local Podders to join and benefit too."
Anthony
"Hi. I’m Anthony and I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2006. It came as a massive shock at first, just weeks before I was going off to train as a priest! Since then I’ve been supported by diabetes teams in Peterborough, Durham, Cambridge and Leicester and all of them have been brilliant. I was put on my first pump in 2011 and then moved onto Omnipod in 2021. Joining the support group has been a game-changer for me. Meeting face-to-face is great but the Whatsapp group is a constant source of support between times. It’s been liberating to be able to chat with others about the daily ups and downs of life with an insulin pump. Everyone has different experiences to share and there is always something to learn. One of the best sessions for me was going out for a meal together. It was great fun and such a relief to be able to share out loud all the estimating and calculating and decision-making that we normally all do in our heads! Being in the group has even inspired me to start our own coffee morning for those living with diabetes in the parish where I work."
Saj
My name is Saj and I have lived with diabetes for 36 years when I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as a child. It was tough to realise the fact that I would have to take injections for the rest of my life for both me and my family at the time. However, I have never let my condition get in the way of my life and have managed to live my life to the fullest. Some days can be better than others but I try to deal with each day at a time. I have been on the Omnipod delivery system for around twelve months now and find it really easy to use and much better than compared to injecting myself 4 to 5 times a day. I have found that I am able to manage my condition much better with the Omnipod system. In my spare time I love doing art and have made many pieces in the last twelve months. I also like meeting up with my group of friends to eat out and they know about my condition so warn me about overloading myself with sugary foods. I also like going for walks and enjoy cooking healthy meals as a hobby. This also helps with my condition and overall health. I am an active member of the Podding Peer Support group and have attended all the meetings so far. I really look forward to the meetings as they are very informative and have covered a vast range of subjects relating to diabetes and use of the Omnipod Delivery System. Help is always at hand and I can communicate via the private WhatsApp group if I get stuck with any subject. I find the group and members to be very helpful and value my input. We also met up once for a friendly meal and that was great as we were also able to carbohydrate count on the day.
Michelle
"Hi, my name is Michelle and I have been living with Type 1 Diabetes for 8 years. I started my Omnipod journey in August 2023 and this group has been invaluable to me since. Both the monthly face to face meetings and the WhatsApp group have provided so much support and advice. Our experiences with diabetes are all so different but we all relate to problems and stress that we face on a daily basis. I love hiking/swimming and getting out into the countryside. On the worst days getting out and about really clears my head and leaves me feeling fresh and strong enough to tackle whatever diabetes problem is thrown at me next."
Want to be added as a Podding Peer?
If you have taken part in the group and want to be added as a Podding Peer, please send an email to: podding-llr@outlook.com
If you have taken part in the group and want to be added as a Podding Peer, please send an email to: podding-llr@outlook.com