Christopher Barbara
Nationality : Maltese
Age: 27 years old
Discipline : Extreme Sports
Diabetes Type 1
“Diabetes No Limits” - This is the tagline I live with as a type 1 Diabetic. Diagnosed at the age of 11 years, my life didn’t stop by this life change.
Together with the support of my family and that of the impeccable support of the Diabetes Clinic together with the Maltese Diabetes Association, I always fought and will continue to fight life in order to live it as healthy as possible.
Today I can proudly say that I found the solution. The answer was quiet easy that of to look at this condition as a GAME. As like other games I have an opponent which in my case is Diabetes.
The 4 basics rules I have adapted to my Healthy Lifestyle in order to be always a winner on Diabetes are:
- Being Motivated
- Eating Healthy
- Always Monitoring and Taking Insulin
- Being Physically Active
I consider myself a very adventurous guy in fact my hobbies are extreme sports such as Scuba Diving where I have the first license that of an ‘Open Water Diver’. I also do abseiling and Sky Diving. In my pipe-line I have another ambition that of mountain climbing. To practice this kind of sports I can't afford not to take care of myself. I love this GAME because it always gives me a Challenge and Determination to live for.
I leave up to you why I have chosen the tagline - DIABETES - NO LIMITS.
I wish that everybody living with this condition, look at it as I do. Life is beautiful and we can't afford to leave a GAME Condition win over life so join me and together we all can be winners. Remember we control Diabetes and not Diabetes controls us.
Benjamin Crisp
Nationality : Maltese
Age: 15 years old
Discipline : Competitive Road Cycling
Diabetes Type 1
I was diagnosed with diabetes when I was 3 years old, and since then it has been a long and sometimes painful learning experience. I was first introduced to the team in 2010 when it was called team type 1, a team of type 1 diabetics who got together and created a road cycling team. Together they set out to get into Pro Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and race with some of the best cyclists in the World.
Last year I managed to get a place in a fairly new team - Team Novo Nordisk, which gave me a chance to get into the junior team and CHANGE DIABETES. Together with my Maltese coach I have been training on a 9 month training regime to be in top form for races, both locally and internationally. I have been exposed to many other athletes which live with diabetes and I am always looking out for any new pointers which might improve my performance.
I have also got into the habit of monitoring on a regular basis on and off the bike and matching them with previous readings to alter my performance as this sometimes requires trial and error. I found that nutrition is one of the most important factors of my training and racing. Without proper nutrition you cannot ride properly and give your maximum on a climb or long sprint, it is like going on a long distance journey with your car without any fuel.
Thanks to the Malta Diabetes Association and my diabetes consultant I have fine-tuned my diabetes into getting it under control and as stable as possible during exercise and also on recovery days.