I must admit, I love it when famous people who are newly diagnosed with diabetes waste zero time getting involved, and using their celebrity to raise awareness of the cause. You’ve surely heard about Denver Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler’s diagnosis with type 1 diabetes last spring. He’s been very vocal about it. And he still managed to establish himself as one of the NFL’s top young quarterbacks with a Pro Bowl season in 2008.
As of last month, Jay becomes the newest celebrity ambassador for Eli Lilly’s Inspired by Diabetes campaign — that creativity contest I wrote about in connection with singer Elliot Yamin last year. Jay kicked off his involvement in the campaign with activities during Super Bowl week in Tampa, visiting with families of children with type 1 diabetes.
His message: “encouraging people affected by diabetes to enter the contest and help someone else in the process.”
We at DiabetesMine were lucky enough to catch up with him last week for a brief chat about his new life with diabetes and what he’s doing about it.
Jay, why did you decide to participate as ambassador for the Inspired by Diabetes campaign?
I wanted to work with Lilly, and I really like the message — that you can tell your story and help kids with diabetes in the process through the donations that Lilly is making to the ADA for diabetes camps. We hope that by asking people to share their stories, it can help inspire people affected by diabetes, especially kids. A lot of people know my story, but I’m looking forward to seeing what people send in.
What is your actual role with the campaign? What will you be doing?
I’m hoping people will hear about my involvement with the campaign and enter the contest, so I’ll be out talking about it in the media and visiting some children’s hospitals and diabetes centers to get the word out. I had the chance to visit a children’s hospital in Tampa during Super Bowl week and had a good time just talking with some of the kids and parents.
You were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes just this past year as an adult. What was the transition like for you? Did you receive any support from other athletes with diabetes?
It was tough, but I was relieved in a way. I had been sick most of the 2007 season and lost about 35 pounds, so getting the diagnosis and knowing what was wrong was a relief. But it’s tough getting used to taking insulin shots and pricking your finger so many times every day. It’s a strange coincidence, but my quarterback coach in college had type 1, so when I was diagnosed I called him.
What advice can you give to other adults who are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes?
I want people to really give back to kids with diabetes. It’s tough enough to get this as an adult, but I just can’t imagine what it’s like to get diabetes at 4 or 5 years old and deal with it as a kid. That’s why I think diabetes camps are so important. So I want people to know they can help kids by helping them get to camp — whether that’s by entering the Inspired by Diabetes contest or giving a donation to a local ADA chapter for camp scholarships.
What is the mission of your newly established Jay Cutler Foundation, and what plans do you have for it in 2009?
The Jay Cutler Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life for underprivileged children and people with diabetes. We support some local charities for kids in Denver. The Mount Saint Vincent Home provides services and programs for children with a wide range of emotional and behavioral problems that prevent them from functioning to their full potential. And the Reverend Leon Kelly’s Open Door Program is a leader in our community who helps prevent gang violence. So we work with kids. And, of course, now we’re working with Lilly on the Inspired by Diabetes campaign and helping send more kids to diabetes camps.
What’s your message for children living with diabetes?
I want kids to be inspired and know they can achieve their goals and dreams. I heard a doctor say she has some patients who are in their teens who try to hide their diabetes. It’s sad that they’d have to feel that way today. I hope most kids don’t to hide it.
I think it’s the same message we’re trying to get across in general — that having diabetes doesn’t have to keep you from doing what you want to do, and that others can be inspired by your story. Not everyone is an NFL quarterback, of course, but everyone has dreams. If you’re diagnosed at 5 or 25 it shouldn’t keep you from living the life you want. Yeah, it’s tough, we all know that. But once I had it under control, I had a better season in 2008 than in 2007, and I made the Pro Bowl for the first time. So I think whatever you do in life, you just learn to make the day-to-day management part of the routine, and you make that normal and live your life.
Thanks, Jay, for embracing your diabetes and the patient community from Day One. Speaking of inspiration, see you in Super Bowl next year?
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Great interview Jay – thanks for bringing it to us Amy!
I only have one question…Is Illy Lilly paying him for his time? I know it sounds awful, but I’m tired of how horribly expensive buying insulin is, I’m tired of everyone putting their hand in my pocket and pulling out mounds of cash, I’m tired of big companies and foundations going “We’re gonna change the world” and then sit there and do nothing but put try to put their hand in my pocket. I’m not on the forefront of this disease, I’m in the trenches dealing with rising medical costs, inaccsible health insurance plans and insurance companies that say my insulin is like a 30 day pill supply (hmmm do they know that somedays I have to give more for the same amount and other days I might eat something out of the oridnary, but when asked to get my insulin 2 days early I’m denied.).
I’m tired of all of this, the constant stress the constant price. I see people with “star” power getting involved and I want to know…did their involvment get them money?
I agree with Bruce. It’s nice to give us something to hope for, but frankly, I would like to see the costs come down on some of the stuff; for me, it would be test strips, as I am on public assistance for healthcare (and yes, I work…about 55-60 hours per week and still qualify!) They (I will not name the company) provide me with 270 strips for 90 days. I’m grateful for that, but would it kill them to give me another 50 strips for those times that my sugars are a bit odd (cold, stress, just feeling off)? I mean, 250 strips is testing 3 times per day…I can usually make it through a day on 4…not trying to look a gift horse in the mouth. Whatever happened to “preventive care”? Did it really cost that much over that $10,000 hospital bill, that could have been prevented by better, closely watched care? Just asking…
I think what Jay Cutler is doing is great.
But I Agree with Every fiber of my being with Bruce and xim1970.
Test strips, insulin and infusion sets (needles, pens etc) are NOT PILLS!
There is a “set standard” in which T1s follow BUT LIFE HAPPENS.
Some days we do More blood tests, Need more insulin, a site “mucks up” and we have to change it before 3 days…..
With the above tools T1s CAN manage their disease very well, IF we don’t have to worry so constantly about where the next vial of strips is coming from, how much it will cost, same for the sickeningly expensive insulin (of which T1s NEED to sustain life, we did nothing to get this auto-immune disease, nothing)….
Holy venting!
Either way and again, Kudos to Jay Cutler.
But a BIG Reminder to Everyone out there…..kids diagnosed with T1 GROW UP!!! And it doesn’t get any easier!!!!!!!!!!!
I couldn’t agree more with the above comments — yes, type 1s come in all ages, so anything that highlights the difference between types 1 and 2 is important for all of us. I am sick to death of being “blamed” for my disease and feeling on the defensive. I appreciate athletes coming out with their type 1, because it shows that even the fittest among us require insulin — INSULIN IS NOT OPTIONAL (as many, many, many people believe).
Again I have to say the insurance companies are largely to blame for the horrendous state of diabetes management in this country. I pay for my strips, insulin, and most supplies out of pocket (although I have TWO insurances; Blue Cross of CA and my school’s insurance plan). Why? Because my Blue Cross plan claims that insulins are not “generic” and therefore not a part of my pharmacy benefit. I tried to explain the necessity of insulin to one of the reps there, shortly after my dx. And I was told, “if you are sick enough to need injections, you can get them administered in your doctor’s office, they will be covered as part of the global office visit service.” HELLO!!!!! They don’t get it. I get about 15 mailers a month from BC about “taking care of your diabetes” but they won’t cover the most basic, essential supplies. This is disgusting. I truly wish that more celebrities and high-profile people with diabetes would highlight these issues.
Jay Cutler as a spokesman for diabetes is great. I am glad that there are athletes and stars such as him that people that have diabetes can relate to and see that they have the same problems and diseases as we do.
My son is the biggest Jay Cutler fan probably in the world! The light in his face when he could finally relate to someone who in his eyes was, “just like him” was such a gift! Jay is truly a blessing. I agree with the earlier posts that the prescriptions are ridiculously overpriced and insurance companies really do not get it! When my son’s father started a new job and we were without benefits, the insurance company actually told me to take him to the E.R. for shots. 4 x a day with no insurance? Seriously? It is really aggrivating that there are so many people who think type 1 is due to diet and not being active enough. Hopefully, Jay and others can shed some light on this disease and put the misconceptions to rest! I commend him for his efforts. I am sure his schedule is very busy, and the fact that his heart is big enough to care shows his character.