Today, on World Health Day, Catherine Jacob shares how her love of surfing and dealing with life as a Type 1 Diabetic go hand in hand.
South Africa (07 April 2025) – 18-year-old competitive surfer Catherine Jacob shares insight into life with Type 1 diabetes for World Health Day today. Her inspiring story goes to show that you can live your best life, even when you are faced with health challenges.
Catherine lives and goes to school in Ballito and is a fantastic surfer; she has been surfing competitively since she was 14. She followed in her older brother’s footsteps by taking on competitive surfing and even got the chance to join the South African Surf Tour. She got to compete with the top junior South African surfers.
“My family spends a lot of time on the beach and I have an older brother who surfed in competitions, so it was natural for me to start surfing from a young age,”
Catherine was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of 12. She shares the strange things her body made her do when she became thirsty and how her family finally took steps to figure out what was happening when she fell asleep during key moments at school. Thankfully, once at the hospital, they were able to find the answers to their concerns.
“I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when I was 12 years old, in Grade 6,” Catherine explains. “I’ve always been a beachy person and started noticing that I was losing weight fast and my costumes weren’t fitting me anymore. I was so thirsty that I found myself eating ice out of random strangers’ cooler boxes when water wasn’t available!”
As she spends so much time surfing, its essential to keep her blood sugar balanced. Type 1 can be nutoriously difficukt to balance but she has thankfully invested in technology that helps her manage her sporting career and her health.
Her message of advice for those struggling with Type 1 is simple: don’t let it limit what you think you can do.
“Diabetes does not limit your potential. You can still do anything everyone else does: just learn how your body reacts and have a strong network supporting you.”
And finally, what is it that makes surfing superstar Catherine’s life sweet?
“Spending time and surfing with my friends who are such an amazing support.”
Catherine’s story was shared by Sweet Life, an online diabetes community that empowers people to live healthier, happier lives through easy-to-understand information on healthy eating, exercise, mental health and the basics of diabetes.
You can read more inspiring stories and join the community on Facebook and Instagram, or access the Sweet Life Chatbot on WhatsApp and find answers to your diabetes questions on www.sweetlife.org.za
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