Sue Beams, Pat Crothers and Merinda Page were recognised for their assistance in caring for someone with diabetes and living with the disease for 60 and 50 years respectively.
As an expectant mother, and a teenager on a family holiday, Yarrawonga’s Pat Crothers and Merinda Page never expected their symptoms to be something so lifechanging.
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Now, 60 and 50 years later respectively, on World Diabetes Day, Tuesday, November 14, Pat and Merinda were recognised with Kellion Victory Medals by Diabetes Victoria for living with the condition all these years.
Diagnosed with type one diabetes was – and still is – a life sentence and while the ladies are happy to be here to receive the honour, it has rarely been easy.
If diabetes isn’t managed carefully, it can strike back with serious complications including kidney disease, heart disease, stroke, vision loss, amputations and sadly, death.
In Victoria, there are currently more than 346,000 people registered with the National Diabetes Services Scheme but Diabetes Victoria estimates another 125,000 Victorians are living undiagnosed.
Only around 2180 people in Australia have been awarded the Kellion Victory Medal which also assists in taking a stand against diabetes stigma with 80% of people feeling ashamed when diagnosed with the disease.
At a special ceremony held at the St Cuthbert’s Church by Yarrawonga Health and their one year old T1PS (Type 1 peer support group) which is a local group that catches up for coffee bi-monthly on the first Monday to join with others suffering with diabetes, Merinda and Pat were awarded with silver and gold plaques, certificates and a beautiful morning tea while they shared in their over half a century living with the disease.
“I was two months short of my 15th birthday in 1973 when our family was travelling in stinking hot heat,” Merinda said.
“All of the kids were drinking a fair bit of cordial, but I was the only one who also came home thirsty as well as losing stupid amounts of weight.
Members of the local T1PS (Type 1 peer support group) also celebrated their first birthday with a beautiful cake.
“After going for blood and glucose tests I found out I had type 1 diabetes and was sent to hospital.
“After a bit of time in there I was sent home with a glass syringe that we had to boil every morning. How times have changed!
“I have now been on an insulin pump for 12 years. New technology is as good as a cure.
“Our TIPS group is great to collectively assure that the ‘blame’ stereotype is gone.”
For Pat, she was 26 years old and pregnant with her third child when she was diagnosed.
“One of my earliest memories of diabetes is weighing of the food, everything had to be weighed which was difficult with a young family,” remembers Pat.
“I regularly saw Dr. Pincus Taft at the Royal Women’s Hospital which I was grateful for.
“Reflecting on my journey, it has been eventful, challenging and a lifetime of lessons.”
Going into residential care has been challenging for Pat, but things improved when she met Yarrawonga Health diabetes nurse practitioner Janet Lagstrom, who listened and offered Flash Glucose monitoring to Pat which helped manage her insulin intake.
Merinda and Pat cut the cake for their celebrations.
She is also fortunate to have support from her family including her daughter Susan and her sister, who was diagnosed with diabetes 17 years after Pat.
“Susan lives in town, so she helps with all the transport to appointments, she has always been there for me in later year,” Pat said.
“My sister is great to have a chat with and share stories, and Janet has also been amazing, as she really understands the difficulty of living with diabetes and supported me with the new technology.”
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