Madi Cheever - TypeOneTypeFun (00:02.621)
Okay. yep. Okay. Today we are joined by Michelle Hale, founder of Global Diabetic and a global type one diabetes advocate who's lived in five continents. Submit it. my gosh. I'm gonna start over. Don't mind me just being a little nervy today. I don't know why though. Like I love getting to hang out with you. We have like hours to go today. So I'm just getting the kings out. So, okay. One more time. Today we are joined by Michelle Hale.
founder of Global Diabetic and a global type 1 diabetes advocate who's lived on five continents, summited Kilimanjaro and defined what thriving with diabetes really looks like. Michelle, welcome. I am so glad to have you today and I am excited because I feel like every few months we get to reconnect whether it's on video or in person. It's been what, four months? Yes.
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (00:45.346)
Thank you for having me.
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (00:55.98)
Yeah, since the diabetes conference.
Madi Cheever - TypeOneTypeFun (00:59.111)
Yes, absolutely. And I know we both have so many things going on in the background. So I'm really excited to have you here and to get to explore a little bit about your story and perspectives with everyone listening. actually, I know that you were diagnosed at 14 years old, right? Yeah. Yeah, me too. Boom, right there, besties. And so I'm always curious about people's experience. So what do you remember most about your early experience and how has that shaped you?
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (01:15.166)
I the teenage...
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (01:30.67)
It's crazy to go back, you know, it's almost been 28 years. So getting diagnosed at 14 years of age, I was too old to be considered a child and too young to be considered an adult. So I really was in this middle kind of space where I didn't get to go to camp, adult camp or go to kids camp. And I just felt really, really alone. At the same time, it taught me to do everything for myself. So
The emergency nurse did my first injection in my thigh and I did every injection after that.
Mm-hmm.
Madi Cheever - TypeOneTypeFun (02:10.805)
That is a lot and I remember those feelings for myself vividly too. Young enough to technically be a kid and I benefited from my parents insurance for sure, but old enough to have to do the carb counts by myself and to have to have adult conversations about type 1 diabetes when I went back to school and people were like, where'd you go? Glad it happened to you too.
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (02:29.006)
I don't think anyone really noticed I was in hospital when it was Valentine's Day and so everyone gives out flowers and so it was just a busy week. think I just don't think anyone noticed.
Madi Cheever - TypeOneTypeFun (02:39.093)
What?
Madi Cheever - TypeOneTypeFun (02:43.157)
Oh my goodness. don't know. What was mine? I was diagnosed a few days after Halloween. So I went home on Halloween day actually and was gone for the rest of that week and then finally hospital for a few days. I guess I was out for about a week, a week and a half. And then there was a holiday break. So yeah, I guess a week and a half. So that maybe made it a little bit different because...
you know, all of a sudden I wasn't in any classes. But I'm glad that you were able to kind of get back to things. But I know that transition can be hard too. Did you have blurry vision when you went back?
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (03:15.918)
I had blurry, I wear glasses and so I had really clear vision. So for me having clear vision was this like, how can I even see properly right now? So I just remember looking down the train tracks, getting the train home and I could see them so clearly. I was like, this is a miracle, but also something was wrong because I was going to the toilet every half an hour and drinking like two gallons of juice or Coke or.
lemonade or water or whatever I can get my hands on a day.
Madi Cheever - TypeOneTypeFun (03:47.529)
Yeah, for me it was diet cranberry juice. That's the one I vividly remember drinking so much of and I can taste it still in my memories if that makes sense.
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (03:57.58)
Wow.
Madi Cheever - TypeOneTypeFun (03:58.549)
I know it's one of those things but I'm really I think it's really cool and I don't mean to toot my own horn here but I think it's really cool to take something that is so transformative in our lives and so many people's lives and to get to help others and so for people who may not be familiar with the global diabetic platform can you explain a little bit about what inspired you to start it and what type of content you provide?
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (04:25.144)
So global diabetic is something I started 10 years ago. I was feeling very, very alone. I hadn't talked to anybody about my diabetes for 17 years since I was diagnosed. I knew one girl in school and that was it. And we had moved to Dubai with my husband and I did an assignment for university and I found this social media world for a marketing assignment and I did it on diabetes. And I realized that
There are so many millions of people living with Typhoon around the world. I just needed to plug in and get connected. So I started Global Diabetic a year before getting pregnant. And when I was pregnant, I just shared my stories and I realized that through, sorry.
Madi Cheever - TypeOneTypeFun (05:19.007)
That's okay. I will say, let's pause here if this is okay. My child is crying outside of the door, my fertile. Rebecca, I'm sorry. I'm gonna give him a little bit of space here so that, I muted myself so you can't hear him, but usually he does a hmm thing.
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (05:24.558)
Yeah.
Madi Cheever - TypeOneTypeFun (05:37.887)
They've got brits.
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (05:37.966)
Thanks.
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (06:00.704)
Yeah, it's funny because normally I do the interviewing so... Yeah, do I seem really nervous?
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (06:11.619)
Yeah.
I think I'm trying to look at the camera hole more than like you, Maddie. So if I look at you, I'm not looking the right way.
Madi Cheever - TypeOneTypeFun (06:25.395)
Yeah, I know it's so hard. I try to look right at the camera too, but then it just feels like nothing else exists in the background. It's really interesting how stuff like that can happen, like, or how it can feel, I guess, on our perspective. But I know for some reason there's like, there's the, we have the nerves today. We gotta, we gotta shake it. Yeah, it's not like.
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (06:36.6)
Thank you.
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (06:43.404)
Yeah, we're just going to lose it up. Thanks Rebecca. Okay. Yeah.
Madi Cheever - TypeOneTypeFun (06:58.997)
I was able to swap us, but that's interesting. I never think that was.
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (07:05.272)
Then right now they're side by side. I'm wondering if I can do it.
Madi Cheever - TypeOneTypeFun (07:08.789)
Maybe if you like, like make your window smaller. I don't know. Okay, I'm setting a mental timer for Maverick. It's snowing outside and he loves it out there, but he is.
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (07:13.038)
yeah.
Madi Cheever - TypeOneTypeFun (07:25.973)
Okay.
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (07:28.928)
Okay, I can't, that's okay. We're just gonna...
going to be fine. I'm going to relax. I'm going to start that answer. So you asked the question. I'm going to start the answer of why we're here because I created Global Dometic.
Madi Cheever - TypeOneTypeFun (07:46.015)
Perfect.
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (07:53.326)
I don't ever get nervous now.
Madi Cheever - TypeOneTypeFun (07:57.519)
Yeah. Absolutely. Okay. And I think we'll use the first one because I transitioned it with extra words earlier, but I'll ask the question. for people who maybe aren't familiar with your platform, The Global Diabetic, can you explain a little bit more about what inspired you to start it and what type of content that you provide?
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (08:19.15)
I started global diabetic because I just felt so alone in my own diabetes and I just knew that there was a world out there online that I could connect with and that they could connect with me and I've made so many friendships like yourself from Instagram and just getting to know people online and building that community. So one post at a time being at a restaurant climbing Kilimanjaro
having babies, I just realised that I don't have to go through diabetes alone. And by showing up online, I started my Instagram live show Mondays with Michelle over five and a half years ago. Every single week for over 270 weeks, I've gone live on Instagram to just spread stories about my lived experience. I've interviewed people who have made diabetes documentaries, athletes, musicians, mums,
kids, like just every, everyone who lives it with diabetes, but has this different life experience, but we connect because we know what it feels like to have a high or a low or to change your insulin pump at 3am. And so I create content that's just basically my life and interviewing others so that we know that we're not alone and we can always watch video online or someone else around the world.
is awake when you are and can be there for you.
Madi Cheever - TypeOneTypeFun (09:52.053)
I think that that is incredible. Just really having that sense of you are not alone Makes all of the difference when it comes to diabetes because I mean diabetes kind of sucks sometimes Let's be honest, right? We know it's not like this ultimate thing We're like, wow this we couldn't be luckier to have this but also Sometimes we could be because it leads us to so many great people community it's taught me a ton about who I am and what I do and don't want in life and
I admire you for bringing so much community connection networking into your own life and so many others because of it. Wow, absolutely. And you've lived and traveled all over the world with diabetes. love that. Michelle, don't know if I ever told you this, but I work at some diabetes camps and I'm the dietician at some camps and they call me Mrs. Worldwide, but I think that you deserve that title. is definitely, I'm more so Mrs. Nationwide for now.
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (10:31.31)
Thank you. Yeah.
Madi Cheever - TypeOneTypeFun (10:51.701)
For now, we'll see. We'll see. When this episode airs, I'm a few days away from going to Japan. So excited for that. But speaking of travels and adventures, I'm kind of curious about how you balance adventures and adventurous living, maybe like skydiving or climbing Kilimanjaro with demands of managing type one diabetes.
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (11:17.462)
feel like diabetes doesn't stop us doing anything and the more prepared we are the more freedom we have. So before I do anything super adventurous, skydiving, going up Kilimanjaro, having babies, I just prepare myself physically and mentally with whatever it's going to take. So I make a to-do list like before going up Kilimanjaro I
reached out to people on Twitter, I mean was 10, 11 years ago, and before having a baby, I googled what to do before having a baby and then just slowly ticked things off the list and the most important thing for me was thinking that I've done what I can to prepare and then if something happens that I'm not prepared for, at least I've done the best that I can and an example was going up Kilimanjaro, I'd packed
every little thing on my list. And the one thing I forgot was the stickers for my CGM and I was wearing a Guardian Medtronic back then which needed the stickers and so I couldn't wear a CGM and had to test my blood sugar for six days going up a mountain.
Madi Cheever - TypeOneTypeFun (12:31.177)
Wow, that is incredible and scary, but here you are, you made it. You did it.
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (12:36.11)
Right, exactly. So I think just being prepared, even if the most adventurous thing I do for a day is go for a walk or a long walk, taking candy in my pocket or a juice box or a couple of juice boxes, that is all I need to do to prepare because going low and not having a highbrow snack is an emergency situation.
Madi Cheever - TypeOneTypeFun (13:01.511)
It is, it is, yeah. And I will say, I know I'm always prepared with something, right? Whether I'm filming or not, I always have something available. If I'm on a walk, if I, in the car especially, last night I had some fruit snacks in my bag, because we went for a nice post-dinner digestion walk, and I went low from that, of course. So having that is essential, you're right. And actually, the core theme that I'm getting from this
from what you're saying is there's the mental aspect, right? So it is mental preparation, but there's also maybe the mental load or generally mental health along with chronic disease. So do you have any strategies that you've used to help you stay confident and maybe connected to yourself and others as opposed to feeling overwhelmed?
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (13:54.242)
Hmm. Great question. I think it would be knowing what I need and it is definitely getting my hypo snacks like juice, candy, whatever it is before I leave the house and knowing how much insulin I have on board. So if my husband at the last minute says, let's go for a walk and we've just eaten and I've given a full bolus for the meal, I have to speak up for myself and say, we can't go right now or let's go in 20 minutes or
just give me five minutes to pack a bag so that I can get what I need. Because if I don't say that and I just walk out the door, then I'm the one who's trying to get candy in my mouth while we're going for a walk. So I'm trying to do something healthy, but then I'm trying to fix this hyper while we're doing it. So speaking up for myself is the biggest thing in all walks of life and especially diabetes that are
say would be the biggest thing that I've needed to do.
Madi Cheever - TypeOneTypeFun (14:55.861)
Absolutely. Finding your voice is, that's one of the things that I actually appreciate most about diabetes is I feel like I found my voice because of it or maybe in spite of it, I don't know. But I think speaking of finding our voice, I know we are both very vocal about wearing our supplies, your CGM, your pump, whatever it may be, it doesn't make you lesser, it doesn't make you less beautiful, it doesn't make you less worthy.
And I'm just kind of curious, have you noticed any specific impacts on being so open and visible about diabetes?
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (15:33.454)
Absolutely. I love this question because sharing a pregnant photo of myself with my diabetes gadgets, was with I was pregnant with our first son. A woman in the Philippines showed her then boyfriend, look, I can have a baby too. And she got married to him. She showed his parents this photo and she messaged me and said, I had a baby because of you. I'm going to cry.
And that's not the only story. So there are women on this planet that have gotten pregnant, that have endured and enjoyed their type 1 while they've been pregnant. And there are babies on this planet because I've shared these stories. And so I realized that it's more than just content, it's creating community and helping people overcome their fears and realize that they can do anything with type 1 diabetes.
Madi Cheever - TypeOneTypeFun (16:29.417)
Man, I just have to, a round of applause for that. I think it is so cool that we're in this position to get to inspire and create change and you have indirectly helped create so much beautiful life and long, happy, healthy lives that are balanced, right? And we have fun and we get to live our lives. We get to go to the places and do the things and diabetes doesn't stop us. I love that you said that too. And so speaking of diabetes not stopping us.
Is there a common misconception about T1D that you wish more people understood?
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (17:03.648)
Ooh, yes. First of all, type 1 diabetes is not caused by lifestyle. It's not caused by just sitting down and, you know, not exercising. Also, it's type 1 diabetes is not the bad kind of diabetes. I do not like when people say, you've got the bad kind and you're like, just type 1 is.
you know, your pancreas just stops. And it's like the only thing powerful enough to stop us is ourselves. And that goes with so many things in life. You know, our limiting beliefs can stop us from doing an activity or stop us from wanting to travel. But when we find the right community and we arm ourselves with information and a to-do list and how we can be prepared, we can achieve
anything. Like there's literally nothing we can't do living with type 1 diabetes.
Madi Cheever - TypeOneTypeFun (18:03.551)
That is so true and it's so inspiring and it's so, like diabetes sometimes, I don't know if you ever feel this way or if I'm even gonna articulate myself in a way that makes sense, but sometimes diabetes makes me feel like I'm in a bubble and I'm just like, okay, food, insulin, carb count, blood sugar, technology, all these things, but then thinking about the fact that I can literally do anything.
do any career, live any life, go anywhere, and still be successful with that bubble idea. It pops the bubble for me in the best way. And it allows me to just take that breath of air and take up the space that I want to in this world. Did that make sense? I don't know if that does.
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (18:47.214)
It's like if you feel like you're in a bubble and you're just a drop in the ocean, it's like the ocean is in every drop. And so we can live these amazing great lives by really using diabetes as an invitation to take care of ourselves. Now I can say that sitting here after 28 years and really taking care of myself for the last 10 or
before having babies, but before that I ignored my diabetes and my dream is that no one ignores that part of themselves or any part of themselves. And so this journey that we go on to helping heal ourselves emotionally, mentally, physically from diabetes and that mental load, that invisible load that we carry, I really know that.
this community and your platform and the information that you share can help heal these parts of ourselves that were just like what we wanted to ignore. And now I feel like we can pay it forward. And now that we've healed and we're not sitting in a dark room crying about our diabetes, because I have done that, we can just help spread this message of positivity and really trying to.
use diabetes as an invitation to take care of ourselves.
Madi Cheever - TypeOneTypeFun (20:13.819)
Absolutely. maybe a point to that too, especially considering that we're so focused on the world of social media to spread this wonderful message. A lot of the times I feel like social media is, it's a highlight reel, right? It's the good, it's the positive, it's the happy, it's the smiles, it's the vacation. Or we don't post a selfie every day at the nine to five or whatever it may be. And I think like, sometimes I get these comments from people that are like, like I wish
My diabetes was easy like yours and da da da. I was up at 1130 p.m. I go to sleep at like 830 Okay, I'm early bird but up at 1130 changing a pump that ran out of insulin and I had I ran out of insulin and a meal and I was stressed for hours at a sporting event right there's so many things that happen I'm a professional diabetic not a person or not a perfect one and Knowing that right no matter how educated we are no matter how
a problem that we are online, no matter how many devices we tried or whatever, it's never gonna be perfect, but that mindset piece that you're talking about, I think that that's the key, knowing that you can, simply you can, and whatever it may be, you can.
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (21:29.678)
Right. It's those tools and strategies that we learn through the hard times that when something difficult happens again, we know how to overcome it. Like if you forget your insulin when you're out, instead of sort of letting it rob you of the joy of being out, you can say, look, is there anything I can do about it now? Maybe not. So maybe I can just try to be in the moment. And even if your blood sugar is growing 200, 250, 300, I used to just
put myself down and beat myself up mentally. You shouldn't have done that. Why did you forget your insulin? But now I can just say, look, okay, there's nothing I can do about it. Can I try and be in this moment and enjoy this sporting event or wherever I
Madi Cheever - TypeOneTypeFun (22:14.611)
Yeah. that right there might be my favorite piece of advice today. I was actually thinking about asking you, I was gonna ask if you have any advice specifically for anyone who's been newly diagnosed. What do you wish someone maybe would have told you on day one? And also assuming you actually like could hear it the way they meant it.
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (22:36.16)
Yeah, that's true. Sometimes people tell me things and I don't hear it until I'm ready. I think we're probably all like that. But I think finding community, finding support as early on as possible and support could mean someone in the diabetes community or it can mean speaking up to your partner or your family. Having someone that you can just talk to about it can really help cut in half.
Madi Cheever - TypeOneTypeFun (22:41.333)
Yeah.
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (23:05.217)
the mental load that we're going through because it's carb counting. It's when have I taken my insulin? It's how am I going to get this prescription? I have to call the insurance company. All these things weigh us down so much that if we can just share that information with someone and how hard that time is, then it can feel a little lighter. So I know that I'm pretty sure you're the same. Our DMS are open. You can message us any time.
or find other people on Instagram or another social media platform that has a positive outlook because there are those people that do want to hear from you and want to hear that you're having a hard time and they can be there for you to listen.
Madi Cheever - TypeOneTypeFun (23:48.831)
Yeah, absolutely. And I love that you are so connective and so focused on making sure that people are connected, right? We try to connect too, but there's only so much we can do. You gotta find us too, okay? And we want you to find us. So I think my final question is a two part. Now, of course we'll have some info in the show notes, but what is next for global diabetic? And of course, please make sure people know where they can find you.
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (24:14.894)
What's next for global diabetic? I've been saying this forever, but I want to start my podcast on YouTube. You know, I go live. Yeah, I go live every week on Instagram at global diabetic. That's G L O P A L diabetic. and I go live every week for Mondays with Michelle because I just want to help inspire you to live a happy, positive life while living with this condition. And I have my own fears, right? Like
Madi Cheever - TypeOneTypeFun (24:22.165)
Do it.
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (24:44.514)
doing the podcast and YouTube channel, feel like it has to be perfect. Yet all I have to do is upload videos and a podcast and it just, it's not as scary as I think. And so you, the community is showing me how much strength I have within as well. So you can find me at globaldiabetics on Instagram. That's the main platform for now, but watch out for 2026, the podcast and YouTube are coming.
Madi Cheever - TypeOneTypeFun (25:12.681)
Yes, I'm so excited for you and I'm just going to pressure you do it. Absolutely. There's going to be challenges. It's never going to be perfect. But boy, have I had a blast. And I think that I can say with confidence that it's helped a few folks and that to me makes it all worth it. So you've got to do it. So definitely, folks, keep an eye out. Keep a listening ear where however and wherever it is that you're watching or listening, make sure you stick around. But Michelle, thank you so much for such a great chat today.
Michelle GlobalDiabetic (25:44.078)
Thank you.
