Sean Busby riding in Norway
I am a Type 1 diabetic. That’s a T1D for the uninitiated. That means that whenever friends read about the latest diabetes treatment, they always send me a link. And sometimes I think they must wonder what my problem is. Diabetes is preventable, they probably think to myself. What’s wrong with her?
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(See, the problem is they think I have Type 2 diabetes. And while both disease contain the word “diabetes”, they are really worlds apart.)
T1D is not preventable. Nor is it due to drinking too much soda or eating too much McDonalds. Because if it was, I’d be cured. I don’t drink super sized colas and I don’t eat fast food. Sometimes my husband rolls his eyes at me, thinking that all I eat is “twigs and nuts,” and I assure him that’s not the case.
So when I get to talk to someone just like me–a T1D who also loves to climb mountains and slide down them–I’m thrilled. This week on The Edge Radio I’m interviewing Sean Busby, a professional snowboarder and a fellow Type 1 diabetic.
Sean Busby in Antarctica
Sean was diagnosed in 2004, while training for the Olympics. Considering leaving snowboarding altogether, Sean was inspired by stories he found through JDRF’s Children’s Congress. It was these young kids that inspired him to keep living his dreams despite living with T1D.
He founded Riding On Insulin—which is now a nonprofit organization—to honor all the kids who inspired him to keep living.
Sean also continues his big mountain backcountry snowboarding expeditions to the world’s most remote mountain ranges and chronicles his adventures with Mollie on their website, Two Sticks and a Board.
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His expeditions include snowboarding in Antarctica (twice!), Patagonia, Iceland, Kyrgyzstan, Alaska, New Zealand, Tasmania, Norway, and more. Sean will have backcountry snowboarded all 7 continents this coming February when he embarks on an expedition to the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco in Africa. He is continuing to plan expeditions to the remote corners as well as offering guided trips to some of his favorite locations. Don’t miss the show this Wednesday at 8am Pacific.
