Diabetes Viewpoints

Anything is possible with diabetes
As they say … ain’t no mountain high enough!

By Manny Hernandez

We are living tough times without a doubt. The challenges we face seem like mountains that we don’t know how to start climbing. We can take two paths facing our difficulties: to deal with them or let them defeat us.

A group that has not let hardship defeat them is Team DiabeSport. At the beginning of February, this team of athletes with diabetes coming from five different Latin American countries, climbed a true mountain, participating in the Cruce de los Andes (Crossing of the Andes).

In spite of the cold, the exhaustion and having diabetes, the team successfully completed  one of the most demanding athletic competitions in the continent, submitting themselves to a detailed sampling and medical analysis in the course of each stage.

The Crossing of the Andes is part of the Bandera Al Cielo (Flag To The Sky) Project, which Team DiabeSport has been conducting since August 2007. The idea was born in the mind of Abayuba Rodriguez, a Physical Education instructor from Uruguay who has lived with type 1 diabetes since 1986.

The goal of Bandera al Cielo is to raise their Flag in the highest point of America and share their experiences and medical findings throughout each event they participate in. The Project seeks to show that anything is possible with diabetes.

“Bandera Al Cielo belongs to all those who approach us to learn about it and get motivated when they discover that actions speak louder than words,” shared a very inspired and inspiring Abayuba. When I read his words I know what he is talking about. Learning about Abayuba and Bandera Al Cielo has been a big inspiration to me, since exercising more is always a personal challenge for me. And here are these guys: not simply exercising but climbing mountains!

As large as the physical challenge faced during the crossing of the Andes, was the financial challenge. In chatting with Rodriguez, he didn’t hide his disappointment towards the lack of economic support to finance the project.   “I sold my work elements to cover the cost of transportation, lodging, and supplies for the team,” he said.

However, Abayuba Rodriguez does not lose his enthusiasm and his ability to overcome new challenges. In July, Bandera al Cielo will be visiting Brazil for a cycling ultramarathon; in December, they will treck through Antarctica; and they will culminate in January 2010 by ascending the Aconcagua Peak, the highest point in the American continent.

Rodriguez and the other members of the DiabeSport team are a great example for the diabetic community of the entire world.  They demonstrate how goals can be accomplished by starting with each of us and how, in the words of Abayuba Rodriguez, “anything is possible with diabetes.”

Disclaimer
dLife's Daily Living columnists are not all medical experts, but everyday people living with diabetes and sharing their personal experiences. While their method of diabetes management may work for them, everyone is different. Please consult with your diabetes care team to find out what will work best for you.