‘Every day is a school day’ – local teacher on living with diabetes

Life is about to change immensely for Mairéad Parker, a primary school teacher from Streete. Having recently given birth to her first child, Fionn, she is no stranger to a busy life, which has included the challenges of living with Type 1 diabetes since she was a young child.

Mairéad’s story demonstrates how knowledge, education and access to information are empowering in every aspect of life. Now a revolutionary technology is providing her with that information to help manage her condition, while also providing support and peace of mind as a first-time mother.

Diagnosed at the age of four, Mairéad does not remember much of her life before diabetes. Constant thirst was the first symptom her mother recognised. “I couldn’t reach the kitchen sink and she worried when she saw me drinking from the bathroom tap instead,” said Mairéad.

That sparked a trip to the doctor, and the diagnosis was confirmed.

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs when a body cannot make enough insulin, the hormone made by the pancreas that helps glucose from food get into our cells to be used for energy. If glucose cannot get into cells, it builds up dangerously in the blood.

Without access to modern technology to manage diabetes, Mairéad remembers how the diagnosis was a steep learning curve for her mother. “There weren’t any blogs or Facebook posts. She was relying on the healthcare system and the advice given by professionals. It feels like a completely different era.”

During her school years, Mairéad’s condition did not affect her day-to-day learning. A sports enthusiast, Mairéad enjoyed playing GAA and basketball. But her diabetes was still ever-present, and she remembers occasionally fainting in school.

It was when she began studying in Galway that she felt that her diabetes was having an effect on her freedom. “I was a little bit more in denial during university. In some ways I was living a double life: the life of a type 1 diabetic, and then the other life where you want to do everything.”

Life changed for Mairéad when she received the unusual Christmas gift of a FreeStyle Libre system starter kit from her partner. Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre flash glucose monitoring system allows people with diabetes to monitor their glucose levels by wearing sensors on the backs of the upper arms. This eliminates the need for routine finger prick tests.

Mairéad says that with the FreeStyle Libre system she found her freedom again. “It was life changing. I’d spent many years doing guesswork and pricking my finger to find my glucose at that set time, at the same time not fully knowing what was happening in my body in between tests. I didn’t realise that I’d lost some of my freedom, but this sensor has given it back to me.”

The FreeStyle Libre system also assisted Mairéad in her work as a primary school teacher. “Break times can be short and things can crop up. The time efficiency of the system has helped me a lot. I am able to walk down the school corridor and scan my sensor.”

Mairéad was also able to provide support to students with Type 1 diabetes. “I taught a student for two years who had recently been diagnosed. In class we would both scan our sensors and compare our glucose levels.

“This helped the child realise that they are not alone because as children, and let’s face it, no one wants to be different.”

Mairéad has set up an Instagram account, @Type1_munteoir, where she encourages conversation on diabetes and showcases the work of her students. “My main idea behind it was that if I could even help one other person, I know I would have appreciated that in my teenage years and even in my late 20s.”

The FreeStyle Libre system gave Mairéad “peace of mind”, and, although it is partly made in Ireland and it used by more than three million people with diabetes in 50 countries, it is not available to many Irish patients – because Ireland is the only country in the world that reimburses the system for patients under 21 only.

Mairéad believes that the system would have made a “huge difference” during her youth and hopes that it will be accessible to all soon.

Mairéad gave birth to her first child in September. Pregnancy can be complicated for people with diabetes, but thanks to FreeStyle Libre, Mairéad was reassured that her diabetes was well-managed. “I’ve been lucky. Each Monday I rang the diabetic nurses and with LibreView they could log in to my account, print off my graphs and see what had been happening in the in-between time.”

Mairéad has been able to look out for both herself and her son using the FreeStyle Libre system. “When you’re pregnant, it’s a whole new world, you’re thinking of more than just yourself. I really couldn’t have imagined my pregnancy without the FreeStyle Libre sensor.”

As a Freestyle Libre brand ambassador for Abbott, Mairéad is determined to help others living with the condition.

“I want to provide people with diabetes with information – every day’s a school day. I don’t think as a person living with Type 1 diabetes that you ever stop learning.”