A few years ago I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. This was out of the blue. There is no family history, I was not really overweight and I have always maintained a sensible diet. No, it's a genes thing, a lifestyle thing and a better diagnostic regime thing. I reckon if I had been really overweight I might have been diagnosed even earlier. It seems that it was just one of those things waiting around the corner. Every month I hear of someone else I know who has been 'surprised' by the same diagnosis.  Now I take my meds, eat well and exercise a lot. The medics say I am a model patient. I maintain a near perfect control of my blood sugars. It is in their interest as well as in mine that I stay healthy. Noone wants to amputate my feet when I'm older. Noone wants to be digging out problems from my heart and eyes. No. Everyone just wants me to stay as healthy as I am today. It is organisations such as the Diabetes Federation of Ireland that allow the medics to get on with their work. The Federation offers counselling, backup services and tons and tons of advice. It supports research into diabetes and its effects. It is a voice for the growing legions of diabetes sufferers in Ireland. All of this takes money. The Federation needs a million every year just to stand still. Kevin Thanks for Supporting Our Charities | 
