Diabetics Doing Things Podcast

When mutual friends in the diabetes community kept telling Rob he had a doppelganger in LA, he figured they were exaggerating. Then he met Dylan Leonard — creative director, documentary filmmaker, college basketball player, type one diabetic, philosophy reader, world traveler — and yeah, the comparisons held up pretty well. Dylan was diagnosed at 15, having dropped 45 pounds before anyone realized something was wrong. He went from a hospital bed thinking he'd never eat sugar again to playing college basketball while managing T1D without a CGM, without a pump, and without knowing a single other person with diabetes for his first decade. What carried him through was activity — six hours of workouts a day during basketball season — and a mindset he's been intentionally building ever since through reading, travel, and genuinely hard conversations with himself. This episode goes wide. Rob and Dylan dig into Dylan's upcoming documentary Breaking Limits: Life on the Edge, which follows elite athletes with type one diabetes across seven different sports — from Olympic competitors to IndyCar drivers to American Ninja Warriors. Dylan invested his own money and thousands of hours into this project, not to make a cent, but to hand a 15-year-old sitting in a hospital bed the resource he never had. They also get into the philosophy of travel as the cheapest education on earth, why our brains literally haven't caught up to the abundance of modern life, the difference between manifesting and obsessing, and what a five-hour train conversation with a Norwegian stranger taught Dylan about human connection. Oh, and they're making plans to run a hoop session next time Rob's in LA. Cameras included. Chapters: 00:00 Rob's T1D doppelganger, meet Dylan 01:49 Dylan introduces himself: creative, hooper, T1D 02:39 Dylan's diagnosis story: 45 lbs lost at 15 04:36 First pickup game post-diagnosis, flying blind 06:26 How activity literally saved his diabetes management 07:28 Life after college ball: blood sugars out of whack 09:12 Morning routine: walk, no phone, delayed caffeine 10:34 Civilized to Death and the myth of progress 14:48 Our brains weren't built for this level of abundance 17:21 Phones, phones everywhere — even for T1D management 19:45 Abundance mindset, FOMO, and the creative career trap 21:01 Why athletes list it: delayed gratification is a superpower 24:20 Self-help books, repetition, and finding what actually works2 7:48 Manifestation is obsession with action behind it 29:15 Compounding growth: who were we six years ago? 33:14 Breaking Limits documentary: T1D athletes across seven sports 38:59 Nine months of travel: Vietnam, Norway, Australia, Mexico 40:00 "The cheapest education on earth is a one-way flight" 44:44 Japan and what loneliness taught him about human connection Resources: * Dylan Leonard on Instagram * Civilized to Death by Christopher Ryan — the book Dylan cites on the myth of perpetual progress and why foraging societies may have been happier than ours * The Game of Life and How to Play It by Florence Scovel Shinn — Dylan's twice-a-year read, ~95 pages, written 100 years ago, still hitting * Risley Health / Rising Above T1D — where Dylan has previously appeared on podcast and debuted early cuts of Breaking Limits (link to Riseley Health podcast)

Episode 2 of Doing Well with Diabetes Season 2 focuses on “Overcoming Stigma in Sports,” highlighting two elite athletes living with type 1 diabetes outside the traditional Western spotlight. In part one, Rebeca Jara, a Costa Rican pole vaulter, shares her diagnosis at age seven, the transformational impact of attending diabetes camp as a teenager, and the long process of learning how stress, food, and insulin affect performance. She describes major competitions where high blood sugars, lack of fast-acting insulin, and broken vials wrecked her meets—and how she initially leaned on diabetes as an explanation for poor results. The turning point comes when a coach tries to keep her off a Central American team “because she has diabetes,” and she not only makes the squad but wins gold. That moment flips her internal narrative from “I can’t because of diabetes” to “I’m capable, and I won’t let others use diabetes as a reason to exclude me.” In part two, Ousman Ceesay from Gambia recounts being discriminated against and effectively cut from a football team because of his diabetes. Instead of quitting, he helps form a new team of players with diabetes, is named captain, and scores a decisive header in their first official match—against the very coach who rejected him. From there he becomes a leading advocate in Gambia, attacking myths about diabetes (like “it’s only caused by sugar”) through social media, TV, and radio, while mentoring younger people with type 1 who are afraid to be seen. His motto, “All Is Well Like Never Before,” comes from a night of severe hypoglycemia, a morning spike, and the realization that despite diabetes, he can walk, see, and live independently—privileges many hospitalized people don’t have. Together, Rebeca and Ousman show how stigma in sport can be confronted with preparation, persistence, and visibility, turning diabetes from a reason to be excluded into the engine for leadership and change. Chapters 01:36 – Meet Rebeca: Costa Rican Track & Field Athlete with T1D 02:53 – Diagnosis, Early Years, and Finding Diabetes Camp 06:31 – First Track Competitions and Stress-High Blood Sugars 09:21 – Central American Championship: Broken Insulin Vial and DNS-Level Highs 15:05 – Overcoming Lows and Highs in Competition 18:28 – Coach Tries to Exclude Rebeca Because of Diabetes 20:01 – Winning Gold and Changing the Narrative 22:19 – Advice to Her Younger Self and Enjoying Sport 23:22 – Rebeca’s Online Presence: “Rebebetes” 24:12 – Meet Ousman: Gambian Footballer with T1D 24:49 – Being Cut for Having Diabetes and Forming a New Team 26:06 – First Game, Captain’s Armband, and the Winning Header 28:58 – Beating the Coach Who Discriminated Against Him 29:32 – Misconceptions About Diabetes in Gambia 31:56 – Building a Public Advocate: Social Media, TV, and Radio 33:54 – Mentoring Young People and Normalizing Visibility 36:58 – Origin Story of “All Is Well Like Never Before” 40:31 – Turning Hypo/Hyper Swings into Gratitude and a Clothing Brand 42:31 – Health, Perspective, and Redefining “Well” 43:24 – Closing Reflections and Future Vision Resources: Rebeca’ Instagram Young Leaders in Diabetes Young Leaders in Diabetes Instagram Ousman Ceesay Linkedin Ousman Ceesay Instagram

Summary In this special episode of Diabetics Doing Things, Rob Howe interviews Jordan Keltner, a participant from Netflix's Love is Blind Season 9, who shares his journey as a caregiver for his son with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). They discuss the challenges of misdiagnosis, the importance of advocacy, and the impact of public awareness. Jordan also talks about his children's book series, "Dear Luca," which aims to spread awareness and support for T1D, with proceeds benefiting the charity Life for a Child. Chapters * 00:00:00 Introduction and Welcome * 00:03:00 Jordan's T1D Caregiver Journey * 00:06:00 Luca’s Misdiagnosis and Challenges * 00:09:00 Public Awareness and Advocacy * 00:12:00 ‘Dear Luca’ Children's Book Series * 00:15:00 Supporting Life for a Child Resources Dear Luca - Children’s Book Series Life for a Child

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this video should not be used for medical diagnosis or treatment or as a substitute for professional medical advice. Individual symptoms, situations and circumstances may vary. Sponsored by Abbott Summary In this conversation, Leigh Fickling shares her journey as a diabetes mom after her daughter Ava was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of three. She reflects on the signs and symptoms of diabetes and DKA that were overlooked initially, the importance of education and awareness in managing diabetes, and her role as a caregiver and advocate for others with diabetes. Leigh discusses the challenges of navigating workplace accommodations for diabetes and emphasizes the need for community support and preparedness in managing diabetes effectively. Chapters 00:00 The Diagnosis Journey Begins 08:02 Understanding DKA and Its Symptoms 17:03 Navigating Diabetes Management as a Caregiver 22:06 Workplace Accommodations for Diabetes 33:56 Empowering Others Through Shared Experiences Resources: https://childrenwithdiabetes.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/leighfickling

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this video should not be used for medical diagnosis or treatment or as a substitute for professional medical advice. Individual symptoms, situations and circumstances may vary. Sponsored by Abbott Summary In this episode of Diabetics Doing Things, Dr. Eden Miller discusses the prevention and treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). The conversation emphasizes the importance of knowledge and awareness in managing diabetes, particularly in understanding one's own ketone levels. Dr. Miller uses analogies to make the topic more accessible and encourages patients to develop a personalized action plan for monitoring ketones. The discussion also highlights the significance of communication with healthcare providers and the role of support systems in managing diabetes effectively. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to DKA Awareness Series 01:13 Knowledge is Power: Understanding DKA 05:24 Communicating DKA Risks Effectively 08:08 Using Analogies to Understand DKA 10:02 Developing a Personal Ketone Action Plan 12:54 Monitoring and Troubleshooting Ketones 16:01 Empowering Yourself and Your Support System Resources: https://diabetesandobesity-care.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/eden-miller-b02a5a178

In this episode, Nancy Cox shares her inspiring journey as a collegiate golfer living with type 1 diabetes. From her diagnosis to her recent tournament win, Nancy discusses the challenges and triumphs of managing diabetes while competing at a high level. She emphasizes the importance of preparation, mental resilience, and community support, particularly from fellow athletes like JJ Spaun. Nancy offers valuable advice for young girls with diabetes, encouraging them to embrace their dreams and navigate the unique challenges they face in sports. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Nancy Cox and Her Journey 02:55 Diagnosis and Early Experiences with Diabetes 05:59 Preparing for Competitive Golf as a Diabetic 08:49 Winning the First Coast Women Amateur Championship 11:40 Inspiration from JJ Spaun and the Diabetic Community 14:55 Advice for Young Girls with Diabetes 17:46 Daily Life and Diabetes Management in Golf 20:46 Conclusion and Future Aspirations Resources: Follow Nancy Cox on Instagram