Phil Southerland, graduate of University of Georgia, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at seven months of age. Twenty five years ago doctors told his mother to prepare for blindess or renal failure after twenty years. Instead, Phil organized a group of cyclists, all with Type 1 Diabetes, and they raced across the US in the "Worlds Most Difficult Bike Race." The team also won in their category and were second overall. This year the team won overall.
Phil now travels across the United States by plane when he not on a bike, speaking to groups of people who have had diabetes impact their lives and work -whether it be parents, children, sisters --- or diabetes educators, diabetes equipment representative. Phil is passionate about helping people understand how be healthy with diabetes.
“Since it is unusual for someone to get diabetes that early, my Mom had a hard time getting anyone to make the diagnosis,’ Phil says. “She went to a couple of doctors who said I was just sick with the flu. But I had lost almost ten pounds – which at that time was nearly half my body weight – and she knew it was something more serious than that. She drove me to the ER of a major research hospital, and they diagnosed my diabetes within six hours. They also said that if she has waited one more day, I would have died. It was a mom's intuition and her standing up for what she believed that saved my life. ”
Phil credits his mother for doing an outstanding job of caring for his diabetes when he was too young to take care of it himself. “If I was at somebody’s house for a sleep-over birthday party, she would drive over at seven a.m. to give me my shot,” Phil says. “I’d never even know she was there – she’d just do it and be gone.” “She always beat it into my head that you have to take care of this,” Phil says. “She did not let me eat junk food. She kept the bad stuff out of my path until I could make my own decisions. By that time I was accustomed to eating properly. She did a great job.” Always an excellent athlete, Phil began focusing on cycling at the age of 13, and he’s been cycling competitively ever since.
For the most part, Phil’s diabetes has not interfered with his Racing career – but there was one notable exception. “I was competing in an eight-day, 800-mile stage Race in Ireland,” Phil says. “During the third stage I ‘bonked’ – I completely depleted my energy reserves. I begged our host for some cereal, but she didn't understand about diabetes and thought cereal was only for breakfast. I finally got some food, but it was too little, too late. The next morning my teammate, Dan Holt, was awoken by my stumbling over him.
Fortunately, my mother always told me to explain to people I travel with what to do about a blood sugar low. Dan gave me two packets of Gu, a carbohydrate gel, and a pear. When he checked my blood sugar after that it was 16. When you have a hypoglycemic episode that extreme you have nothing left in storage, and I had a horrible day the next day. I lost 30 minutes in the overall Race standings. After that I just ate, and ate and ate. It took two days to recover, but then I was able to compete again.”
Despite that episode, Phil strongly encourages other people with diabetes to exercise. “When I’m training, managing my blood sugar is a cinch. My insulin doses are much, much lower when I ride than when I’m not riding – it’s amazing. When I take a break in training I have to take much more insulin and my blood sugar levels are much harder to control.” Phil has been awarded Maxwell J. Schleifer Distinguished Service Award for community service in Atlanta.
Phil and another bicycle Racer with diabetes, Joe Eldridge, have teamed up to form TeamType1. Their goal is to raise funds for diabetes research, and raise awareness about the the cost of care for young people with diabetes who are denied health insurance because they have a “pre-existing” condition. “Just a few weeks ago, I met a girl with diabetes who is spending $450 a month on insurance, and another $400 a month on diabetes supplies,”
If you’d like to help make TeamType1 a success, you can Contact Phil at phil@teamtype1.org.
Phil’s advice to those newly diagnosed with diabetes? “ You just have to pay more attention to the way you live. Not change – just adjust.”
Click to Donate and be a member of our team as we race toward a cure for diabetes, TeamType1. We are in the process of acquiring Tax Exempt Status. (501C3) 36-4570020
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