Tim Shares His Diagnosis To Help Others

Tim Oberg with his supporting family. Photo supplied  

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Five years after being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, Local Tim Oberg is sharing his story in the hope of offering support to others navigating life with the condition.

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A teacher, coach and founder of Parkrun Australia and the Healthy Kids Project, Tim marked the start of Mental Health Awareness Month by encouraging anyone living with Type 1 diabetes, newly diagnosed or supporting a loved one to reach out for a chat.  

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Diagnosed on September 29th 2021, he has spent the past five years learning to manage the daily challenges while connecting with others who understand them.  

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“There is something incredibly valuable about talking to people who just get it, without needing much explanation,” Tim said.

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“I have learned a lot from others, and these days I also get a huge amount of satisfaction from being able to support people who are newly diagnosed and trying to make sense of it all.”

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Tim has faced his share of challenges along the way, including finding the confidence to tell his children about his diagnosis. For the first couple of years, he kept it to himself, worried they would be frightened by seeing him inject insulin.

“When I finally did tell them, the relief was enormous. And, of course, they were completely fine,” he said.

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“These days I can inject insulin in front of them and nobody bats an eyelid. It is simply part of Dad being Dad.”

For Tim, coping starts with approaching the diagnosis as a challenge he can learn to manage, supported by a daily routine that helps him look after his health.

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“I could see myself as a ‘victim’ of diabetes, or I could treat it as another challenge to understand, confront and manage. I chose the latter,” he wrote.

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Discipline plays a big part in that approach, with Tim finding a routine that suits him personally, including a low-carbohydrate diet and daily movement, whether it’s a workout or a walk.

“Five years in, I would never pretend Type 1 diabetes is easy, as it requires attention every day and there are no holidays from it,” Tim said.  

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“Diabetes is something I manage, it is not who I am.”

While Tim would happily give back the diagnosis, he says the past five years have helped him better understand his body.

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“While I would happily give it back tomorrow, I can also say that it has made me more disciplined, more conscious of my health, more connected to others, and more determined to look after myself and keep moving every day,” he said.

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Connecting with others in the Type 1 diabetes community has also made a difference, and Tim hopes to offer that same understanding to anyone who needs a chat.

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“Another really positive part of the last five years has been connecting with other people in the Type 1 diabetes community, both in the flesh and online,” said Tim.  

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“There is something incredibly valuable about talking to people who just get it, without needing much explanation.

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“Please reach out, I am always happy to talk.”

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