Setting an Example
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INSPIRATIONAL SWIM Matt Cox took part in a relay swim across the English Channel with support from his family. He wanted to show his son, Jack, that diabetes shouldn’t hold him back from accomplishing his goals.
To Learn More |
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INSPIRATIONAL SWIM Matt Cox took part in a relay swim across the English Channel with support from his family. He wanted to show his son, Jack, that diabetes shouldn’t hold him back from accomplishing his goals.
To Learn More |
INSPIRATIONAL SWIM Matt Cox took part in a relay swim across the English Channel with support from his family. He wanted to show his son, Jack, that diabetes shouldn’t hold him back from accomplishing his goals.
This story appears in the Johnson & Johnson 2011 Annual Report.
For Matt Cox, setting a positive example for his son Jack is important. When Jack was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age three, Matt, also a type 1 diabetic, wanted to show Jack that diabetes didn’t have to hold him back.
Diabetes has never been one of the factors that I’ve allowed to hold me back. It’s a medical condition and you’ve just got to deal with it,” says Matt.
In July 2011, Matt, of northwest England, joined six swimmers, two of whom also had type 1 diabetes, in an almost 14 hour relay swim across the English Channel to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). All three diabetic swimmers wore their waterproof* Animas® Vibe™ insulin pumps as they braved the cold waters.
“Without my pump this would not have been possible. It was clearly doable with the right tools,” says Matt.
Animas Corporation received CE Mark approval for Animas® Vibe™ in June. It’s the first and only continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)-enabled insulin pump system with Dexcom G4™ CGM technology, which allows for real-time glucose information, alerts for high and low readings, and glucose trend information.
While the waterproof* Animas® Vibe™ helped Matt manage his diabetes during the channel swim, it was still no easy undertaking. Matt persevered.
“When I got in the water, to say I was scared would be a massive understatement. When it was over it was a massive relief,” says Matt. “Diabetes has been a big part of my life, but it’s in the background and that’s where I try to keep it.”
Watch Matt’s Story:
* The Animas insulin pump is waterproof up to 3.6 meters for 24 hours. The Dexcom G4™ Transmitter is waterproof at 2.4 meters for 24 hours.
To Learn More
Animas ® Corporation
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
On Facebook: The Animas UK/Ireland Relay Channel Swim Event July 2011
World Diabetes Day