diabetes is relentless, but so is advocate ryan hooey
when ryan hooey was 26 years old, his life changed in an instant
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ryan hooey continues to live with the daily demands of managing type 1 diabetes, and he has become a passionate advocate for improving diabetes care across the country.
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when ryan hooey was 26 years old, his life changed in an instant. he went bowling on a saturday night, and when he woke up on sunday morning, he couldn’t see. he had lost sight in both eyes due to diabetic retinopathy. it was a stark and sudden reminder of how relentless diabetes can be.
despite his family history of diabetes—many members of his family, some of whom are indigenous, live with type 1 or type 2—and the fact that diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in canada for people aged 20-65. ryan never ever expected to experience diabetic retinopathy firsthand.
today, ryan continues to live with the daily demands of managing type 1 diabetes, and he has become a passionate advocate for improving diabetes care across the country, particularly for people in remote and indigenous communities. “the battle wages on,” he says.
ryan has become involved with programs aimed at getting services for remote indigenous communities through ontario and canada for diabetic retinopathy screening as well as diabetic footcare lower limb preservation. his efforts, along with those of two fellow advocates, were recently recognized with the inaugural catalyst for change award from diabetes action canada.
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still, managing diabetes remains an unrelenting task.
“living with diabetes is ever-changing. even the smallest change in your day can lead to a rollercoaster of blood sugar swings,” ryan shares. “it affects your physical, mental, and emotional health — everything is connected.”
over time, he’s learned to step away from the pressure of perfection.
“you don’t have to be perfect,” he says. “you just have to keep going, even on the days when burnout sets in. that’s the reality of diabetes — it’s 24/7, no breaks, no time off. and it’s okay to admit that it’s hard.”
for ryan, resilience isn’t about pushing through without struggle; it’s about constantly recalibrating one small decision at a time.
“each day, there are a million choices: will i eat this? will i go for a walk? will i sleep in? every decision impacts your blood sugar. i try not to look at the whole day, just focus on what’s in front of me.”
his message to others facing diabetes complications is one of reassurance:
“you’re doing great. keep doing what you’re doing. enjoy your life, and remember, diabetes affects everyone a little differently.”
ryan also wants to challenge the lingering stigma that surrounds diabetes. “people still assume it’s our fault,” he says. “even some health professionals still hold that belief. but we didn’t choose this. no one asks to be part of this club.”
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he believes that tackling stigma must be a bigger priority, especially in a world where information — and misinformation — can spread so quickly. “there’s a real lack of funding and focus on destigmatizing diabetes. that has to change.”
what does ryan want people to understand most?
“that insulin isn’t a cure — it’s a tool. and living with diabetes isn’t easy. it’s relentless. it takes resilience every single day.”
living with diabetes is a never-ending journey, made even more relentless by stigma. this diabetes awareness month, help us stop the stigma: diabetes.ca/stopthestigma
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