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Diabetes and eating disorders.

 

Jacqueline Allen is a type one diabetic, but she is also a woman on a mission, to inform                         people of the effects of type one Diabetes and to fight stereotypes given to people with                             the life-long condition.

 

Jacqueline, a 34 year old living in London has had a whirlwind of medical problems since                         she was a teenager and now runs a charity to help other people suffering the same fate.

 

As a teenager Jacqueline suffered from bulimia, and eating disorder in which people                       binge eat and vomit it back up to lose weight, but Jacqueline sought help for her eating                       disorder.

 

In 2004, at age 23, Jacqueline was one year into her recovery from bulimia when she had                 another blow, she was diagnose with type one diabetes, which meant she would have to                       either take multiple daily injections or use a small pump which would deliver insulin into                         her body continuously.

 

When diagnosed Jacqueline explained, “One of the things that comes with being diagnosed is weight loss, which I has experienced, but after i started taking my insulin the weight crept back on.”

 

“Jacqueline is a strong woman and what she does on a daily basis is incredible, she will go from one side of the country one day to the other side of the country the next, just to inform and train healthcare professionals on how to pick up the signs that something is wrong.” Says Vikki Meadows, 34, A volunteer at the charity run by Jacqueline.

 

In 2010 Jacqueline with the help of health care professionals and volunteers, started a charity called Diabetics with Eating Disorders, and now devotes all her time to the charity, attending conferences and giving presentations.

 

Patience Holden, 24, Manchester, has had similar problems, and met Jacqueline when she was put onto an inpatient programme in hospital, “Jacqueline helped me more than anybody, she didn’t try to work out how my mind was working, or why i couldn’t accept my diabetes, she just sat and talked to me, understood me and listened to the way I was feeling, and slowly that helped me to understand there was more to life and I still could lead a healthy and happy life.”

 

Jacqueline has worked closely with other charities and is hoping to develop a helpline for people who want help, but she is desperate to get more funding into the charity so they can help more people.

Details of how to help with fundraising or to donate to Diabetics with Eating Disorders, and for volunteering opportunities within the charity click here, and don’t forget to follow their facebook and twitter pages for details of events or presentations near you.