I still remember that day, it was my birthday. My sister had baked a cake for me, but I couldn’t eat it because of my poor appetite. It all started with urinary problems, and my condition kept worsening. Then I was diagnosed with Typhoid fever. Unfortunately, the medication affected me badly; I started losing weight and couldn’t eat properly. During the treatment for Typhoid, I fainted, and the doctor suggested taking me to the hospital. That’s when I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
Hello, I’m Kinza, I live in Lahore, and I have an MBA in Finance. Currently, I work as a Financial Data Analyst. I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when I was 8 years old.
At first, I wasn’t allowed to eat anything sweet. Even my mother stopped making sweet items at home so I wouldn’t demand them. At that time, diabetes was not very common, and as a child, I faced many challenges. Kids can’t resist sweets, and I often ate them without telling my parents. They couldn’t understand why I was experiencing frequent highs in my sugar levels. That was my first emotional breakdown.
Whenever people learned I was living with diabetes, they would make remarks that were hurtful and often frightening. Some would say, “Choti si bachi ho, sugar ho gayi, haww hyee, bechari,” while others insisted, “Aisa kya karo, karwi cheezein use karo, tumhara sugar khatam ho jayega.” There were even warnings like, “Sugar ki wajah se paon mein koi zakhm ho jaye to sahi nahi hota,” which made me anxious and scared about my future.
At that time, one of my relatives had type 2 diabetes. He had a foot injury that wouldn’t heal, and eventually, the doctor had to amputate his foot. He passed away a year later. Witnessing that made me extremely afraid, if something like that happened to me, what would I do?
I tried all the “remedies” people suggested to cure my diabetes, while also pretending to be the strongest girl. I set goals for myself, to live a healthy life, to study higher, and to start a career so that I wouldn’t have to rely on anyone. I wanted to become a successful woman.
In 2021, while scrolling through Facebook, I came across a post by the Type 1 Diabetes Squad, a group by Meethi Zindagi. I joined the group but wasn’t very active initially. In 2022, I started attending events organized by Meethi Zindagi. That’s when I learned proper ways to manage diabetes and gained real confidence.
Today, I can openly tell everyone that yes, I’m type 1 diabetic, and I have achieved many of the goals I set as a child, despite being neglected or misunderstood by society. To be honest, all those people who once said “bechari” now say “wow.”
Always be your own supporter. Ignore what people say, set your goals, and work to achieve them. Never lose hope. Seek help whenever you need it, without hesitation.
If you’re reading this and are living with type 1 diabetes, you can join our circle of care – our Peer Support groups below:
Group for individuals with type 1 diabetes:
bit.ly/TlDsgroup
Group for parents of children with type 1 diabetes:
bit.ly/parentsofTlDsgroup
Because healing becomes easier when you’re surrounded by people who truly get it.
