"I THINK OF DIABETES LIKE A SUPERPOWER THESE DAYS

Australian actress Andrea Solonge fell in love with acting around the same time she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Now 25 and about to appear in Amazon Prime's Class of 'O7 series, not only is her acting career going from strength to strength, she's developed a healthy perspective about diabetes, too.

- KAREN FITTALL

“I was 14 when I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Looking back, I had all the usual symptoms - insatiable thirst and just feeling really unwell, but when Mum said she wanted to take me to the doctor, I couldn't think of anything worse so I said 'no'.

“At the time, I was in elite athlete training for netball, training four times a week and playing for St George and NSW. I had a personal trainer and a diet coach, so in my mind, I couldn't be ill.

“But one night, after I'd lost about 10 kilograms and my eyes were practically bulging out of my head, Mum looked at me and said we need to go to the hospital - now.

“When we got to the emergency department, after running a few quick tests, the doctor told me that if I'd left it much longer I would have fallen into a diabetic coma.

“At the time, I didn't know what living with type 1 diabetes would mean for my future. No one else in my family had it and to be honest, I didn't even want to believe I had it. I remember arguing with the doctor, saying ‘no, you have to test again because I think you're wrong - I don't have this!'.