Actor James Norton talks about his type 1 diabetes
(Picture: Instagram/James Norton)James Norton shared an impassioned post about his type 1 diabetes diagnosis in a bid to raise awareness for World Diabetes Day.
The McMafia and Grantchester actor branded the condition as a “complete b***h” as he called for his Instagram followers to show their support to help find a cure for the disease.
Alongside photos with his two insulin pens and Dexcom sensor, which monitors glucose in the blood, he wrote: “Today is World Diabetes Day.
“It’s a day to raise awareness about diabetes. But also to simply show some love and support for all the diabetic warriors out there.
“At its best, our condition is a constant faff. At its worst, it’s a complete b***h that can be potentially life-threatening on a daily basis, if it’s not looked after properly.
“These two insulin pens I’m holding, as well as the @dexcom sensor on my bum, keep me alive every single day.”
Norton, 37, added: “You have no idea how valuable these small devices are to us T1s, and how grateful I am to live in a country where we have free access to this type [of] medicine and tech.
“That said, a cure would be nice. So go visit @jdrf_uk to see how you can get involved. And then go find a diabetic and buy them a Diet Coke.”
Up to 400,000 people in the UK are thought to have type 1 diabetes, which is a lifelong autoimmune condition.
It is caused by the immune system mistakenly attacking cells in the pancreas that produce the hormone insulin, which in turn causes blood sugar levels to rise — often resulting in life-threatening complications.
At present, type 1 diabetes is managed by administering insulin, which keeps the blood glucose levels low and under control. But there are new treatments that target the immune system in the works that could prevent or delay the condition.
