Gary Hall Jr.: Kris Freeman is an inspiration

As Kris Freeman prepares for what arguably is one of the most stressful environments known to man, the challenge of managing his blood sugar level increases. For those of us living with diabetes, we all know that stress can wreak havoc on our blood sugar levels.

Freeman is the United States' best hope for a medal in the cross-country skiing events at the Vancouver Olympics, and he has Type 1 diabetes.

For someone with diabetes mellitus, maintaining a steady blood sugar level is absolutely crucial in the days leading up to and through a competition. It’s easier said than done.

There is travel, often across time zones, and Olympics processing can exhaust even the most conditioned athletes. While the Olympic Village is nice enough, it is hardly a comfortable environment. It’s best to bring your own pillow, sheets and towels. The food is plentiful, but a picky eater would have a hard time. Athletes aren’t known to be picky eaters, but athletes with diabetes need to watch what they eat more than the average athlete.

It is not my intention to bash what the Olympic committee provides its participants.

If you have diabetes any changes in environment, energy levels, stress or food can set off blood sugar ranges on some graph pattern reflective of the mountains these athletes ski down, with moguls.

In all of my personal diabetes advocacy work, the most common question I get is from athletes and parents of athletes on why blood glucose behavior is so dramatically varied on a practice day versus a game day. The simple answer is stress.

Then take into account the adrenaline, endorphins and other hormones naturally released with a maximum physical exertion that most people aren’t able to relate to. All of which, you guessed it, wreak havoc on blood sugar levels.

With all of these factors to juggle, managing diabetes at the highest level of sport is not without its challenges. The encouraging news is that it is possible. Just ask Freeman.

Kris, all of us in the diabetes community throughout the world will be cheering you on! You are an inspiration. You ease the anxiety of the newly diagnosed. Your efforts provide hope and an example that more is possible for those of us living with diabetes today. Keep up the great work and GO!!!

-- Gary Hall Jr.

The Times is pleased to have Gary Hall Jr. blogging for us during the Olympics. Hall has represented the United States in international swimming competition for 16 years, racing in three Olympics and earning 10 medals. This experience built a global network of media, corporate and political contacts that came to his support when he was diagnosed with Type 1, or insulin-dependent, diabetes. Gary has served as a diabetes advocate and consultant to some of the largest companies in the diabetes industry, including Johnson & Johnson's LifeScan division, Novo Nordisk, BD Medical and Eli Lilly & Co. He has testified before Congress on current healthcare issues, campaigned for diabetes awareness and headed patient outreach programming, education initiatives and fundraising efforts for important diabetes research. Hall currently serves as the director of  business development for B2d Marketing, a leader in business-to-doctor marketing and business development. 

Photo: Kris Freeman. Credit: Jeff McIntosh / Associated Press

Comments

[Carly]

Gary and Kris are both such a huge inspiration to those of us with Type 1 diabetes. As someone who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 18, I find it particularly motivating to hear Kris and Gary's stories since they were both diagnosed later in life as well.

Gary and Kris: I think it's great that your willingness to talk about the challenges of diabetes draws attention to what it's like to live with Type 1, especially since so many people have misconceptions of the disease. Thanks for helping educate people that having diabetes is a challenge that affects all aspects of your life, and involves so much more than simply taking insulin and watching sugar intake. And at the same time, thank you for helping people realize that having diabetes does not define a person. We're not "diabetics"; we're people who have diabetes.

Thank you for reminding me and countless others who have Type 1 that diabetes shouldn't stand in the way of our dreams. It no doubt makes certain goals especially challenging, but I think it that makes reaching them even sweeter.

Whenever I get frustrated by the day to day management of diabetes, I'll think of how each of you has managed it with the added challenges of Olympic competition, stress and adrenaline.

I don't view the two of you as "diabetic athletes"; I view you as two incredible athletes whom I admire even more because you've excelled in your respective sports while managing the added challenge of diabetes.

Thanks for being my inspiration.

[Gary Hall, Jr.]

Thanks, Carly. Don't let diabetes slow you down! You'll find that if you do manage your diabetes well and live the life you want to live that you too will inspire people along the way.

[Kari Z.]

Thank you for this wonderful article. Both you and Kris are such an inspiration to my son. He is 9 years old and just dx 1/28/10. He loves sports and is a very active little boy. The first thing he asked is if he would have to give up his wrestling. He has had to sit on the sidelines for a few weeks due to ketones but today will be his first day back with the wrestling team. It's been hard with his numbers constantly going up and down just from his normal day to day running around playing with his friends. He sees now that we are right that he CAN continue to partipate in his sports. He just has to be monitored. Thank you for putting it out there that you have diabetes. It is such a motivation for my son. Thanks for being a voice for diabetes and perhaps one day it truly will be cured.

Best of luck in all that you do!! We admire you both!!!

[Allison]

Gary, I'm always so happy to hear about amazing athletes like you and Kris who not only make America proud, but also give hope to those of us with type 1 diabetes - it feels like you're playing on our team! Thank you for the article, and thank you for all of your awesome work with diabetes advocacy. (It also doesn't hurt that you two are so HOT!)

[Amy]

Super inspiring article! Thanks Gary!