Martin Salkow, South Africa

Video interview with Martin
Watch the video interview with Martin telling about his life with diabetes and how he has learned to cope with the condition - access here (12:50 min.)

About Martin
Martin is a 22 year old that doesn’t let anything in life slow him down. He’s into mountain climbing precisely because he wants to dispel the notion of young people with diabetes being limited in their pursuits and enjoyment of life.

Martin is totally jazzed about being involved in the DAWN Youth initiative because “I could fully identify with children who have the same condition.” As a child, he said, “I felt angry, frustrated and behaved like a monster!”

Studies show this is not unusual for young people with diabetes. Impulsiveness and mood swings can have a negative impact on coping with the condition. “When my sugar levels were high, I refused to have insulin,” he admits, “and when my sugar levels were low, I refused to eat.”

Today, Martin chooses not to see himself as a victim of his condition. “I think one should take responsibility for one’s own condition and be proactive and enthusiastic about managing it,” he says unequivocally.

Why he’s involved in DAWN Youth
“I realise that children with diabetes share a similar predicament to the one that I faced as a child,” Martin says. “this is why I have chosen to be involved in DAWN Youth.

Beyond that, he says he was embarrassed about having diabetes when he was younger, and “being embarrassed by diabetes is outright dangerous in my opinion. For this reason, I am committed to DAWN’s work to change the stigma attached to diabetes.

Martin’s advice to others
“The best advice that I can give is to embrace one’s condition, not feel embarrassed and always ensure that people around you are sufficiently educated to handle any crisis that could occur. Another is to know that with proper care, your lifestyle does not need to be limited by being a diabetic.”