‘Can do’ attitude motivates diabetic in mission to inspire
SITTING in a doctors’ surgery and being told as an 11-year-old that she has type one diabetes and would have to inject every day for the rest of her life, hit Amanda Croall hard.
"I said I don’t want to get fat and I’m not injecting and my poor mum burst out crying," said the 32-year-old, a PE teacher at Charleston Academy.
However, although initially in denial, she never let the condition stand in her way and she is now on a mission to create an annual charity ball to raise money for Diabetes UK Scotland.
"Maybe in the next four or five years I would like to organise an annual dinner dance and auction event which could take place on the same weekend as the Baxter’s 10k," she said.
In October, Mrs Croall put together a 35-strong team of runners, named team Sugar Rush, to take part in the Baxter’s Loch Ness 10k, helping to raise £6000 for the charity, twice as much as they expected, and is what inspired her to try and arrange a charity ball.
"There is so much awareness of cancer research, which is fantastic, but diabetes affects far more people than any other disease and there is not as much awareness," she said.
"People don’t understand what it is and people assume that if you have diabetes then you’re overweight or unhealthy and people are not aware of the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes."
The condition develops when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin, leading to increased blood glucose levels which can damage organs.
"When I was diagnosed, I had been very ill for nearly three months — at that stage I had lost over two stone and was drinking three litres of fizzy drinks a day," the 32-year-old said.
"I was starting to lose my sight, and had to ask my brother what was on my plate for dinner. I was very spotty but as the weeks went on I lost more and more energy, my legs felt like concrete blocks.
"I spent a week in hospital trying to learn and adjust to my new way of life — injecting myself, testing my blood sugars and counting exchanges. Thankfully, from the start, I took a very positive approach to my new life. My mum and dad say I was very stubborn and determined, but I certainly wasn’t going to let diabetes stop me."
She used to inject herself with insulin daily, but now uses an insulin pump, pre-set to deliver a varied dose of insulin continuously throughout the day and night.
The former Inverness Royal Academy pupil never let her diagnosis affect her way of life and at school was a North of Scotland sprint champion.
She was the first person with diabetes to be accepted onto the BEd PE degree at Moray House Scottish Centre of Physical Education in Edinburgh, where she played basketball for Edinburgh University and football for the Scottish Universities squad, taking part in the British University Games in 2000 and 2001.
She also spent a summer season in New York, where she set up her own soccer coaching school, has travelled the world and counts sky-diving and bungee-jumping among her achievements.
"What I would really like to get across to everyone, especially children, teenagers, parents and adults who have been recently diagnosed, is that diabetes should never stop you from experiencing anything you hoped and dreamed of," continued Mrs Croall, who lives with husband Johnny and her two children, Mia (4) and Madison (2) in Milton of Leys.
Mrs Croall hopes to help young people who have the condition. "There are about four of five children at the school who have type 1 diabetes," she said.
"A lot of the kids don’t know I’m diabetic but I spoke to one of the kids who has diabetes and her little face lit up, she was like, ‘I’m not the only one’, so it’s nice being able to help."
She also attends Raigmore Hospital to speak to those who have recently been diagnosed and admits she does worry about her children developing the condition.
"At least if it does happen then I will recognise it straight away and I will know how to deal with it."
Sara Ling, Diabetes UK Scotland fund-raising manager, believes Mrs Croall is the perfect ambassador for diabetes and said the cash raised will be used to fund research into the causes of diabetes and a cure.
"Amanda’s drive and determination is also a wonderful example that those living with the condition can take on any challenge," she said.
