Name:KERRY WHITE RACED IN RAAM 2007 Woman's Solo Location: Vail, CO Age: 36 Age diagnosed: 11 years

Most Vivid Memory of Diagnosis: My memories are really not very vivid as I was in a semi comatosed state by the time the Dr realized what I had. At this point it was difficult for them to find veins to put IV’s into but I do remember being a like a pincushion for several hours as they tried to help me regain some state of hydration. My Mum sat patiently beside me holding my hand telling me it was going to be over soon.

Family: My husband and the kindest most patient guy on earth, Stephen; Wendy & Bill Lawson who have a vineyard in Australia; Belinda and her fiancé Vince, my older sister who lives in Sydney Australia; Jodi (younger sister) & Berten (her husband) who live in Germany; Gavin (brother) and his girlfriend Bec who currently live in Vail, CO also.

Current A1C: 8.2

Goal for next A1C: 7.2

Riding Experience:Mountain Biking for 9 years; Road riding for 7.

Training Regime/Racing Regime: I am not a big racer usually one to two big 24 hour mountain bike races a season and local mountain bike race series. IN 2004 & 05 I competed in RAAM with a women’s team so that was my primary racing goal for those two summers. I have attached my cycling best results. During summer months I road or mountain bike almost every day and when not riding I am trying to swim or run. Keeping training diverse to avoid injury and most importantly have fun.

Winter is filled with backcountry ski touring; classic or skate skiing; some running; riding the trainer indoors and skinning on AT gear up Vail Mountain in the evenings and skiing down.

Never a dull moment and my usual philosophy being an ultra endurance freak is “More is Betta…”

Job/Employer/School
Resort Technology Partners a Resort software company based out of Avon CO. I am a software support analyst and training lead for support analysts.
Education:
BA, Dip Ed. (Elementary Education) Macquarie University, NSW Australia

Masters of Education (Health and PE) University of New England, NSW Australia.

Fastest speed ever gone on a bicycle?52m/hr on the back of a Tandem down Tennessee Pass outside of Vail, I thought I was going to be sick

Having diabetes has caused me to:I cannot say I enjoy anything about it but I would have to say that being a diabetic is a constant challenge. I thrive on challenges. Each day is a new adventure, filled with surprises and an opportunity to live life to its fullest, diabetes can be an inspiration not a burden, it is what you make it.

Most memorable event per or post diagnosis, sporting or personal: Marrying my husband Stephen on May 3rd, 2003. Stephen has brought out the best in me and taught me to love the outdoors and the simple pleasures in life. He has brought me from being a pessimist to being more optimistic and savor life as it is.

What do you like best about Symlin®?
Symlin has brought be out of the A1C Plateau of being in the 9’s for over 2 years to now being in the high 7’s low 8’s, in only a few months. It has made me feel like my eating behaviours and metabolism are more like a normal person, a way I have not felt for 25 years J The results have been miraculous and I hope it will assist me in continuing to strive and achieve an A1C of 6.5.

Words of wisdom, some personal advice… A philosopher Eric Butterworth is known to have said:-

"Why be an average person?

All the great achievements of history have been made by strong individuals who refused to consult statistics or to listen to those who could prove convincingly that what they wanted to do, and in fact ultimately did do, was completely impossible.”

Email: Kerry