‘My life is still sweet – despite the diabetes’

November is Type 1 Diabetes awareness month. Diagnosed as a child, Aileen C O’Reilly is ready to bust some myths about the illness she now manages with panache.

Say the word “diabetes” to most people and their reaction is either “Oh yeah that’s that sugar thing where you have to take shots isn’t it? Bummer.” Or “Does that mean you need sugar or you don’t?”Or my absolute favourite: “Yeah I knew a guy who had that and he went blind and lost his leg.”