“#BloodSugarSelfie saved my life”
A JDRF supporter has claimed that the #BloodSugarSelfie phenomenon has saved her life.
#BloodSugarSelfie was launched last weekend to highlight the struggles people with diabetes go through every day and to raise money for JDRF’s mission to better treat, prevent and cure type 1 diabetes.
Following in the footsteps of the #NoMakeupSelfie campaign for cancer research, it saw people living with diabetes posting photos of themselves alongside a reading from their blood glucose monitor, accompanying this with a text donation to JDRF.
Participant Rachel Barnes, who lives with type 1 diabetes, joined in the cause to find that her blood glucose level was a dangerously high 32.6 mmol/L. People with diabetes are advised to try and keep their blood glucose levels between 4 and 7 mmol/L. Such an extremely high reading placed Rachel at risk of entering diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), which can be fatal.
The 23-year-old beauty therapist from Glasgow revealed on Twitter: “#BloodSugarSelfie actually just saved my life as I wasn’t going to do my sugars as I felt fine. Awful result.”
Despite their best efforts, the blood glucose levels of people with diabetes are not always perfect and episodes of hypoglycaemia, hyperglycemia and in extreme cases DKA can develop.
More than 800 #BloodSugarSelfie photos have been posted on social network sites since the initiative was launched by Diabetes.co.uk. As well as increasing general awareness of diabetes, over £3,800 has been raised in total for JDRF.
Karen Addington, CEO of JDRF, said: “Rachel’s story highlights that living with Type 1 diabetes can be a very big challenge. Every day individuals living with the condition have to keep their blood glucose levels within a given range and this requires constant management.”
She added: “Thanks to Diabetes.co.uk for creating this superb campaign and supporting our mission to better treat, prevent and one day cure Type 1 diabetes.”
To join the #BloodSugarSelfie movement, post a photo of you and your blood glucose reading to Twitter or Facebook with the #BloodSugarSelfie hashtag. Donations to JDRF can be made by texting DCUK14 £5 to 70070. The £5 can be changed to anything between £1 and £10.