Diabetes: Jersey woman inspires others with type 1

Natasha Marques uses her social media to show other islanders with diabetes how she stays healthy

A Jersey woman has shared her experience of living with type 1 diabetes in the hope of helping others with the condition.

Natasha Marques, who was diagnosed at 11, began using social media to post about keeping healthy by doing Brazilian jiu-jitsu in 2020.

Charity Diabetes Jersey said about 550 people had the condition on the island.

Chairman Bill O'Brien said it was positive to see a young islander opening up about their experience.

Bill O'Brien said Ms Marques' social media posts could help younger islanders struggling with the condition

He said: "Shared experiences are very positive and powerful.

"We're using WhatsApp in particular for the support groups for the people with type 1 diabetes.

"We're hoping to expand that further with a specific group aged between 14 and 18 in the very, very near future."

In 2022, the charity said there was a "serious lack" of mental health support for young people with diabetes.

Mr O'Brien said younger islanders with type 1 diabetes could have "some self-doubt" and in "some cases require psychological support", so seeing social media posts by islanders like Ms Marques was reassuring.

Natasha Marques said exercise kept her blood sugars in a stable condition

The 27-year-old said when she was younger she did not take her condition seriously enough.

"There was a period of time where I completely ignored my diabetes and it got to the point where the nurses were telling me there would be complications," she explained.

Ms Marques said she had to "relearn what it was doing to my body", and said exercise such as Brazilian jiu-jitsu had helped keep her in a healthy condition.

She said: "Just because you have a diagnosis like this it doesn't have to stop you doing anything, whenever I train my blood sugars are way better than if I didn't train.

"It's a healthy addition to my lifestyle all-round."

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