Advertise on podcast: Real Life Diabetes

After her Type 1 diabetes diagnosis, Mia Fasanella became a certified yoga instructor, using yoga and meditation to navigate the uncertainties. As a second-grade teacher, she fosters a supportive classroom environment by embracing her diabetes, inspiring her students to celebrate their uniqueness. In this episode we discuss the fascinating story of how her father unraveled her unique Type 1 diabetes family history, the importance of being mindful, and how to navigate the classroom. BIO: Mia Fasanella received the life changing diagnosis of type 1 diabetes 8 years ago, at the age of 19. Shortly after her diagnosis she became a certified yoga instructor. Her yoga and meditation practices shaped how she was able to manage the uncertainty of living with diabetes and gave her physical, mental and emotional strength. Mia is a second grade teacher at Success Academy Charter Schools in the Bronx. Mia’s openness about her journey with diabetes extends into her classroom, where she shares her experiences with her students. Mia believes that embracing her diabetes fosters a supportive classroom environment and encourages her students to celebrate the aspects of themselves that make them unique. LINKS: * Instagram * TikTok

This particular podcast subject, diabetes in animals, sparked my interest after I learned about Quincy, a koala bear at the San Diego Zoo, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2018, was insulin dependent, and wore a CGM. It made me think – why do animals have diabetes and is it the same as mine? Fascinating! BIO: Dr. Andrew Bugbee is originally from Dallas, Texas. He received both his bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences as well as his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Texas A&M University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. He completed a small animal medicine and surgery rotating internship and an internal medicine residency at the University of Georgia, becoming a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in 2013. After residency he was on faculty at Purdue University before returning to the University of Georgia in 2014. During his time at UGA, he Co-founded and Directed the UGA Veterinary Diabetes Clinic in addition to his role as an Associate Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine. In July 2023, he joined the faculty of the Texas A&M University School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences as an Associate Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine and is developing the TAMU Veterinary Endocrinology Clinic and research program. Dr. Bugbee was elected to the Board of the Society for Comparative Endocrinology in 2019 and is currently serving as the Secretary and Treasurer. He also serves as a Co-Chair of the AAHA Endocrinology Guidelines Task Force. His current research interests are focused on small animal endocrinology, specifically diabetes mellitus and canine hypercortisolism.

Saira Khan-Gallo is on a mission to bridge the gaps in diabetes outcomes by championing equitable and patient-centered healthcare. In this episode we delve into Saira’s unique story of meeting her husband through matching insulin pumps, her time in the Peace Corps, a passion project close to her heart, and how Type 1 diabetes is a family affair.  BIO: Saira Khan-Gallo, MPH is the Content Marketing and Access & Equity Lead at Tidepool, a nonprofit that is a recognized innovator in diabetes software. After more than a decade of experience in nonprofit management and program development, Saira is committed to bridging disparities in diabetes outcomes across populations.  100% of Saira’s family relies on insulin and juice boxes to stay alive – she was diagnosed when she was 8 years old, met her husband through their matching insulin pumps, and both of their daughters also live with Type 1 diabetes.  LINKS: * Tidepool Period Project * DC Berne Survey

I’ve recently had the opportunity to connect with three fathers who shared their experiences of raising daughters, aged 11 to 16, living with Type 1 diabetes. In this groundbreaking episode, Dan Kendall, Brooks Ratzlaff, and returning guest Scott Kinsel, provide insights into the unique challenges and joys of being a father to a T1D daughter. This episode delves into poignant topics such as diagnosis stories, navigating puberty, the nuances of dating, and the delicate balance of paternal guidance without exerting excessive control over their daughters’ evolving lives. BIOS:  Dan Kendall is the founder of Mission Based Media, the company behind podcasting brands Health Podcast Network, Digital Health Today and, most recently, Health Unmuted. Dan has spent nearly 30 years in the healthcare sector across various roles in product development, sales, and marketing.  He has led innovation projects in medical device, technology and pharmaceutical companies to develop novel solutions for healthcare professionals as well as patients. Now, at Mission Based Media, he is building a podcast and media ecosystem to engage, educate and empower audiences with information about health and well-being. Scott Kinsel: I’m a dedicated husband and father of three, ages 14, 13 and 8 and reside in Houston, Texas. I’m an entrepreneur at heart, but when I can, I get off the grid to photograph wild places and things.   My middle daughter Penelope “Poppy” was diagnosed March 27 of this year and we have no history of auto immune disease. While our T1D journey has been brief, I feel like we’ve learned a lot, but realize there is still so much more to learn. Our latest development –  Poppy has celiac, which threw us a curve ball, but with the right attitude and continued effort, I’m optimistic we can adjust to it, just like Type 1 diabetes. Poppy’s first checkup post diagnosis was two weeks ago and her A1C was 6. I am so so proud of her!  Brooks Ratzlaff has spent the last 15 years in the oil and gas service industry. He currently owns FieldPoint Energy Services, that he helped found in 2018. He sold Petroleum Water Solutions, which he founded, in 2013 and has been involved in multiple acquisitions and divestitures in his career.  He and his wife, Laney, have five kids and reside in Oklahoma City, OK.  Brooks currently serves on the JDRF Oklahoma Chapter Board and will be joining the Harold Hamm Diabetes Center Advisory Board in January 2024.  Brooks’ daughter, Haddie, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in November of 2020. He has embraced himself in the fight to bring awareness and to find a cure for Type 1 diabetes. He enjoys golfing, traveling and coaching 8th grade boys basketball in his spare time!

I connected with Molly Schreiber after reading a heartfelt LinkedIn post about her family history of Type 1 diabetes and the tragic loss of her father. Molly is a patient living with multiple health conditions and an active patient advocate within those communities. In this episode we discuss growing up with a T1D dad, her personal T1D diagnosis, and how her role as Community Director gives her the privilege to spend time with patients, caregivers and patient advocacy focused organizations.  BIO:  Molly Schreiber is a patient living with multiple health conditions including Type 1 diabetes and Rheumatoid Arthritis, and is an active patient advocate within those communities. She lives in Baltimore, Maryland with her husband, two children, and their mischievous cat. Molly has spent her career working in healthcare, previously working for: a Johns Hopkins Medicine pediatric affiliate and the American Cancer Society. Currently, as Savvy Cooperative’s Community Director, she has the privilege of spending her time with patients, caregivers and patient advocacy focused organizations. She strives to amplify the voices of the underserved in all facets of her work. LINKS: * Savvy Cooperative * LinkedIn

Jazz Sethi, is the founder and director of The DiaBESties Foundation – a global movement to make those with Type 1 Diabetes feel heard, understood, supported and celebrated. She is also a certified diabetes educator, a professional dancer, choreographer, theatre artist, and a published author. In this episode we discuss what living with T1D in India looks like, D-Coded, and her ever growing advocacy efforts. BIO:  Jazz Sethi is the founder and director of The Diabesties Foundation – a global movement to make those with Type 1 diabetes feel heard, understood, supported and celebrated – with a dedicated youtube channel, monthly meet ups, Awareness tours, education programs, access and advocacy drives and several other creative projects. She was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was 13 and currently on a pump, CGM and DIY Loop.  She was the IDF’s Young Leader of Diabetes for South East Asia for 2019-2022 term representing India.  The Diabesties Foundation works closely with Diabetes India, RSSDI, and NHS England for developing projects and publications. Jazz is also a certified diabetes educator and did her training with the IDF program.  She is also a professional dancer, choreographer, theatre artist and a published author. She completed her training from Broadway Dance Center in New York and the AEF from Florence.  Her mantra is simple – Live Happily and Bolus Regularly.   The Diabesties Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to serving the healthcare sector. We are actively involved in creating diabetes awareness and spreading Type 1 diabetes education to Indian society at large. We believe that healthcare is a fundamental right as well as duty of every Indian. From healthcare providers to family, friends and relatives, we are all stakeholders in this journey. We also work predominantly for Awareness, Advocacy and Access. Diabesties is a movement dedicated to making every individual living with Type 1 diabetes, non-communicable diseases and disabilities feel heard, understood, supported, loved and celebrated. LINKS:  * Diabesties Foundation * YouTube * D-Coded * Twitter

Kayla Chorley, is a certified Canadian Counsellor and therapist whose practice extends her support for individuals living with Type 1 diabetes and focuses on areas of burnout, diabetes distress and hypoanxiety. Having lived with T1D for 23 years, she is deeply passionate about supporting mental health in our community. In this episode we discuss diabetes and mental health, and her experience with Canadian healthcare. BIO:  Kayla Chorley, BEd MACP CCC, is a certified Canadian Counsellor and Counselling Therapist based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Through her private practice, Pineapple Therapy, she extends her support to individuals living with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), primarily focusing on areas such as burnout, diabetes distress, and hypoanxiety. Additionally, she can be found at the Edmonton Diabetes & High-Risk Foot Clinic once a month and serves as a committee member for the annual Diabetes + Mental Health Conference, held virtually each year. Having lived with T1D for 23 years, Kayla is deeply passionate about supporting the mental health of the T1D community, drawing from her personal experience of the emotional toll that living with this chronic condition can take. She firmly advocates that mental health and wellness are key components of diabetes management, often overlooked in diabetes care. As a result of her dedication, Kayla has been invited to speak about diabetes and mental health on numerous podcasts and had the honor of providing a keynote address at the 2023 JDRF Walk For the Cure. Furthermore, she regularly hosts webinars for parents and caregivers who are supporting children and teens living with T1D. Kayla provides both online and in-person counseling services to individuals across Alberta and various other regions of Canada. Beyond her professional life, Kayla enjoys camping in the mountains, walking her dogs, spending time with family, watching Oilers games, and collaborating with her partner on home renovation projects. LINKS:  * Website – Pineapple Therapy * Perfectly Imperfect Post

Zippora Karz is a former soloist ballerina with the New York City Ballet, and a diabetes spokesperson who hopes to continue to inspire people to live healthy active lives through her work as an author, teacher, and motivational speaker. In this episode we discuss her misdiagnosis, life as a ballerina from an early age, the importance of journaling, and learning how to manage diabetes while on stage. BIO:  Zippora Karz is a former soloist ballerina with the New York City Ballet where she performed for 16 years on stage and in televised performances. She was featured in a variety of roles choreographed by George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins as well as works choreographed for her by such choreographers as Peter Martins and Lynne Taylor Corbett.Miss Karz danced with the New York City Ballet from 1983 through 1999. She now serves as a teacher and repetiteur for the George Balanchine Trust, rehearsing and staging Balanchine’s choreography for a host of national and international dance companies. She is also a diabetes spokesperson and educator who regularly addresses major diabetes conferences and organizations worldwide. Zippora’s memoir “The Sugarless Plum” has inspired people all over the world to live happy and healthy lives. “The Sugarless Plum” is now translated in Slovenian. Zippora also authored a children’s book, “Ballerina Dreams.” The story teaches children, with and without Diabetes, that they should not give up on their dreams no matter what challenges they face. She is currently guest faculty at the prestigious Colburn Dance Academy in Los, Angeles, California. Zippora hopes to continue to inspire people to live healthy active lives through her work as an author, teacher, and motivational speaker. LINKS:  * Website

Farhaneh Ahmadi is the Founder and CEO of eddii, a virtual in-app character designed to engage people living with diabetes. Her vision is to make every eddii user feel motivated to achieve long-lasting health outcomes, and enjoy doing so! In this episode we discuss her personal Type 1 diabetes journey, the inception and benefits of eddii, gamification, and why the app operations are based in Oklahoma. BIO:  Farhaneh Ahmadi did her PhD in Biochemistry at Cambridge, where she focused on signaling pathways of innate immune cells and her Masters in Immunology at Oxford. She started eddii when she was doing her MBA at Harvard. She volunteers at many healthcare organizations and worked as a consultant in London before founding eddii. She enjoys going for long walks, good coffee and skimming through biz books. eddii: eddii is a virtual in-app character designed to engage people living with T1D. Using games, educational character-led activities, and AI-enabled conversation (coming soon!), eddii becomes a smart health buddy, giving users real-time feedback, support, and in-app rewards in return for healthy behavior. In addition, the app integrates users’ real-time Dexcom CGM readings, delivering updates on blood glucose levels, in turn reducing stress levels for T1D parents. LINKS:  * Website * Early Access Program * App Store * Google Play * Instagram * Facebook

Harold Hamm is world renowned for his entrepreneurial spirit and successful career in the oil and natural gas industry, but there is SO much more to this story. In this episode we discuss how a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis was a personal game changer, the Giving Pledge, the International Biomedical Research in Diabetes Award, and his commitment to solving many of humanity’s greatest challenges including diabetes, energy poverty, literacy and education. BIO:  Growing up in rural Oklahoma, Mr. Hamm went to work in the oil fields as a teenager and established Continental Resources in 1967 at the age of 21. He built a grassroots startup into a Top 10 oil producer in the U.S. Lower 48. As a voice for America’s oil and natural gas industry and as the leader of one of America’s top E&P companies, he has helped to make America energy independent. Mr. Hamm also co-founded and serves as Chairman of the Domestic Energy Producers Alliance, which aims to preserve the millions of jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity and tax revenues generated by onshore drilling and production activities within the United States. Through his work with DEPA, Mr. Hamm is widely recognized as the man who led the charge to lift America’s 40-year-old ban on U.S. crude oil exports. Mr. Hamm’s industry leadership also includes serving as past Chairman and present board member of the Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association, as a founding board member of the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board, and as past president of the National Stripper Well Association. In addition, he served as Founder and Chairman of Save Domestic Oil Inc., which successfully brought a trade case against four countries trying to put American oil and gas producers out of business. A national leader in promoting health, education, and energy industry advocacy, Mr. Hamm has devoted much time and resources to championing a healthy and secure future for all Americans. With the goal of finding a cure for diabetes, he has donated more than $65 million to date to the world-renowned Harold Hamm Diabetes Center at the University of Oklahoma. The Harold Hamm Diabetes Center is at the forefront of diabetes research – inspiring progress toward a cure, education of health care professionals and families, optimal care for those living with diabetes, and effective prevention strategies. To further spark the minds of the world’s brightest scientists, he established the Harold Hamm International Prize for Biomedical Research in Diabetes, a $250,000 biennial award celebrating the scientific achievements of an outstanding researcher, team of researchers, or research institution. Mr. Hamm is dedicated to preparing the next generation of energy industry leaders. In 2012, he helped establish the Harold Hamm School of Geology and Geological Engineering at the University of North Dakota. He has also funded numerous education initiatives across the nation, including college scholarships, classroom technology, and school capital campaigns. Mr. Hamm has received numerous awards and recognition for his contributions. Platts Global Energy Awards honored him with a “Lifetime Achievement Award” for his legacy of leadership, innovation, and commitment to bringing America to energy independence. Platts Global Energy Awards also has named him “CEO of the Year” and at the same time named Continental Resources “Energy Company of the Year.” He was named the recipient of the “Chief Roughneck Award” by U.S. Steel Tubular Products, and one of 13 corporate and civic leaders across the U.S. to receive the “Horatio Alger Award” for his outstanding leadership and triumph over adversity to achieve success. He was also honored by Oil and Gas Investor magazine a...

Scott & Poppy Kinsel popped up on my radar after reading a heartfelt Facebook post about not letting type 1 diabetes slow life down after her recent diagnosis. In this episode we discuss Poppy’s misdiagnosis, navigating competitive sports, parenting, and what an epic adventure to Norway looks like with T1D. BIO:  Scott Kinsel – I am an entrepreneur and photographer. We live in Houston TX. I have three kids – Poppy 13, Max 14, Luke 7. Nobody in our family has any autoimmune diseases or diabetes. We are “health nuts”.  I am 6x marathoner, Ironman etc.   Penelope “Poppy” is 13 years old and going into 7th grade. She’s a multi-sport athlete and competes at a very high level. Until her diagnoses on March 27, 2023, Poppy literally never got sick. Ever.  Poppy is special. Her positive attitude and determination are remarkable. She’s been that way her entire life. Quit is not in her vocabulary. Her diagnosis has not slowed her down at all. It’s like she’s had it her entire life and just keeps moving forward. She eats low carb. Biggest struggle is managing high intensity exercise and competition. Worst moment for her was when a group of boys made a crude joke about diabetes. It was a teaching moment because she didn’t know how to respond. Now she does. Aside from that, she has an amazing (sweet) friend group and great teammates that support her 100%. LINKS:  * Scott Kinsel Photography * Instagram

Katie Bone had the diabetes community in awe of her drive and competitive spirit as she dominated the third ever American Ninja Warrior Women’s Championship. In this episode we discuss a T1D family history, incremental boluses, teenage hormones, when to compete in wet shoes, and her motivation to continue a strict workout regimen.  BIO:  Katie Bone is originally from Bernalillo, New Mexico. This 17-year-old is already a nationally-ranked rock climber; member of the 2022 Speed Youth National Team; a member of the 2023 Speed National Team; and an American Ninja Warrior competitor from Season 14 of the hit competition NBC TV series and now the Champion of the third ever American Ninja Warrior Women’s Championship. She is recognized as one of the youngest females to ever earn a coveted spot in ANW Finals in Las Vegas and is not only the youngest female to ever win the championship, but is the only female in the history of the show to complete a Stage 2 Finals course in Las Vegas.  Bone does all of this while conquering her school and social commitments and living with type 1 diabetes (T1D). When diagnosed at the young age of 11, Katie’s first question to her doctor was, “When can I climb again?” She chooses daily to thrive and grow, all while managing her T1D. Bone has chosen to strive for more, chase her dreams, and not let her T1D hold her back from chasing her dreams. In addition to her personal goals, she is an advocate for representation, education, and support for those also battling type 1 diabetes. Katie is a beacon amongst organizations to help build awareness around the research towards a cure for T1D.  LINKS:  * Website * Instagram