Professional cyclists and diabetes ambassadors Sam Brand and Becky Furuta arrived in Bengaluru a few days ahead of November 14, World Diabetes Day. The duo are a part of Team Novo Nordisk, the world’s first professional cycling team comprising athletes with diabetes.
Metrolife caught up with the cyclists, who were in India to participate in the 53rd Annual RSSDI Conference, Asia’s largest gathering of diabetes researchers, which was held in Kochi.
Both athletes share a common mission: to inspire and empower those living with diabetes through sport. At the conference, Brand and Becky shared their stories of resilience, reminding participants that with the right mindset and care, life with diabetes truly has
no limits.
Brand, from New York, United Kingdom, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 10. He has been with Team Novo Nordisk for over 11 years and represented the Isle of Man at the Commonwealth Games in 2022. He continues to compete internationally; most recently, he finished 40th at the Utsunomiya Japan Cup Road Race.
It was 18 years ago that Becky from Colorado, United States, was first diagnosed with diabetes during her second pregnancy. After speculation over whether it was gestational diabetes, doctors diagnosed it as Type 2 due to her family history. But she eventually discovered that it was Type 1. It did not deter her from competing in the USA Track and Field (USATF) Masters National 5 km (where she placed 18th) and ranking 17th in the USATF Grand Prix series. She was the Colorado State Time Trial Champion in 2017 and finished 6th at the 2018 Colorado Classic.
The duo shared that their main reason for speaking out about their condition is to remove the stigma and misconceptions associated with the disease. “Most people are not clued into the different types of diabetes,” Brand told Metrolife. Becky shared, “When people see me injecting myself with insulin or checking my blood sugar, they assume that something is wrong. They do not understand that it is a normal part of managing our condition.”
While they do face many challenges in managing their conditions and being professional athletes, Brand noted, “Both are demanding, but when we combine our preparation with managing our diabetes, it becomes less overwhelming.”
Becky added that they had not faced any complications from crashes or injuries due to their diabetes management. “Well-managed diabetes does not create any complications,” she told Metrolife.
The Novo Run initiative, which organises weekly runs in Bengaluru’s Manyata Tech Park, attracts 180 to 200 participants every Saturday morning to promote fitness and raise awareness about diabetes. The programme has been running successfully for a year.