Celebrating long lives with diabetes

The Kellion Victory Medal celebrates the courage and resilience it takes to manage diabetes for many decades, while the event also recognises the vital support from the recipients’ loved ones.

“The Kellion Victory Medal event is a celebration of the medallists extraordinary efforts in managing this complex condition for many decades,” Diabetes Victoria CEO Glen Noonan says.

“Everyone living with diabetes has their own story and as I reflect on the Kellion stories there are a few common themes.

“Team effort is the first – we hear from countless Kellion Victory Medallists that managing diabetes has really been a team effort.

“Another theme is the importance of the improvements in diabetes management and technology over the decades.”

Read more about the main event here.

Andrew’s story

Andrew Scott remembers his diagnosis with type 1 diabetes in May of 1974, and how the news upset his mother. At the time he had heard of diabetes, but really didn’t know anything about it or exactly what it was. But this diagnosis soon changed all that and turned his life upside down in a matter of days.

Andrew’s mother was his biggest source of support initially, taking great care of him and doing everything she could to keep his blood glucose levels in check.

“It took several years for me to really understand and control my own body,” Andrew said.

“It was extremely upsetting. I can remember during school holidays in 1974 and 1975 falling sick and spending the entire holiday in hospital. I recall this happening to me three times in the early years of my diagnosis.”

Andrew met his wife Carole in 1984, and she has continued to support him through every step of his diabetes management.

“Carole has always been there for me with whatever task I have undertaken,” Andrew says.

“When I have bad days and have been very down on myself because of my diabetes control, Carole has given me 100% support to pick me up and help me to move forward.

“She is an amazing wife to whom I owe an incredible amount for all she has done. Having been married now for more than 37 years, she continues to support me in every way she possibly can,” he said.

Andrew recognises reaching 50 years living with diabetes is an enormous achievement and a reward for the hard work he has done to keep as fit and healthy as possible.

Wendy’s story

When Wendy Vogelpoel was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1974, she had been losing weight, constantly urinating and had a wound that would not heal.

As she recalls, her doctor was able to swiftly diagnose the condition.

“He sent me for bloods and when we returned to his office, he told my mum it was a toss-up between kidney disease, leukemia and diabetes, and diabetes was the best result,” she says.

The early days of Wendy’s diagnosis were challenging, both for herself and her family, and she admits she was not the most compliant of patients, refusing to take her insulin but not telling anyone about it and ending up in hospital.

“I remember going with mum and dad and the doctor spending a lot of time with us,” Wendy said.

“When we got home, I found dad downstairs crying but didn’t understand why. He told me he thought I might die as he thought most children died from this.

“When I had been diagnosed for about a year, my specialist told me if I did not start looking after myself, I would never make 25,” she said.

Wendy credits her mother Beverly as her best supporter. “I worried her as a teenager, having a daughter diagnosed and all the problems that came with it. We had a little book with carb counting in it and that was our bible. Every Easter my sisters would get eggs, I got a present, but it was never the same. But my sisters would slip me a bit of chocolate.”

Like many people living with diabetes, Wendy has faced and overcome her share of discrimination.

“When I fell pregnant with my daughter after four miscarriages, my gynaecologist told me, ‘People like you should be fixed!’ I was devastated, but three months prem she was one of my greatest achievements. She passed in her sleep in 2021, and we are now raising my granddaughter.” Wendy feels receiving the Kellion Victory Medal is an acknowledgement of all the ups and downs that people living with diabetes go through, and she is grateful she has been able to reach 50 years without any extra complications

General support and resources

If you would like to discuss your diabetes management with a clinician, please be in touch with our Diabetes Victoria Clinic. Alternatively, for immediate mental health support, contact Beyond Blue.