KIT
FASHION FOR
DIABETES KIT
Nathalie Balmain's diagnosis eventually led her to design
adaptable clothing for people wearing diabetes kit.
continued over
N
atalie Balmain was
diagnosed in January
2007 with Type
I diabetes, three
months before her
21st birthday. At that time she was in
her final year studying English language
and literature with an ambition to
become a dance teacher. However,
after her diagnosis, Balmain found that
she had hypos and that dancing made it
really hard to achieve a balance with her
diabetes care. These days she says, "I
was very skinny when I was diagnosed
and it took a while to go back to doing
any exercise. The weight did come back
on, but actually turned into fat, then it took
me a while to get fit again. Now I dance for
fun, but I had to give up on it as a career."
Balmain is now 32, having lived 11
years using multiple daily injections. At
the time of this interview Balmain had just
begun using an insulin pump including
using the relatively new insulin, Fiasp.
She says, "I'm getting used to it, but it's
certainly been a learning curve. I'd been
offered the chance to have an insulin
pump a few years ago, but I was terrified
of ripping the tubing out. I chose to go
on an Omnipod insulin pump, but even
then I was initially reluctant. However, I
started to use a Dexcom CGM sensor
last year, which helped me to get used
to wearing technology and having
something permanently on my body. I
was recommended to use a Dexcom
sensor as I had poor hypo awareness.
It was incredible, helping me to gain and
keep better control of my diabetes and
- as a result - not fear having hypos so
much, and I actually did not have as many
hypos. Now I have both the pump and
sensor on me all the time and I feel fine
and am confident that my control is the
best it can be."
Diabetes fashion
Balmain studied fashion up to A-level, and
has recently introducing clothing suitable
for accommodating people wearing
diabetes technology. "I was passionate
about fashion as a subject," she says,
"But did not see it as a career path. I
did a little bit of modelling and styling on
weekends, so I felt that I knew the scene
a little bit. Then I had a flash of inspiration
to bring my knowledge and experience of
designing clothing to other people with
diabetes.
"My friends all know about my
diabetes and don't care about what
I do to look after it - blood tests and
insulin shots, but I sometimes feel that
it's different in public, it's more of a big
deal and I'm more self-conscious about
it. I felt it was a shame that not only
did you have to deal with having the
diabetes, but you could also be unable
Nathalie Balmain