Multisporter, swim instructor, lifeguard, sports coach and diabetic.
Wanaka woman Emily Wilson (24) is proof a diabetes diagnosis need not prevent someone leading an active, healthy and positive lifestyle, which is exactly the message she hopes to spread in her new role as an International Diabetes Federation (IDF) young leader.
Miss Wilson was recently selected from five applicants to represent Diabetes New Zealand as a young leader at the World Diabetes Congress in Vancouver later this year.
A successful multisporter, she has competed in the Coast to Coast and been part of the winning under-25 youth team in the Godzone adventure race for the past two years.
She works for the Queenstown Lakes District Council as a swim instructor and lifeguard, is a school sports instructor and runs an after-school and school holiday programme.
Still awaiting genetic test results to determine which type of diabetes she has, Miss Wilson said her diagnosis last November ''got me down a bit''. However, she told herself she was: ''not going to whinge about it ... just get on with it and see what you can do and try and help others, as not everyone is going to have your attitude''.
Managing diabetes in competitive sport was ''a real hassle'', mainly because it slowed recovery time, she admitted.
''Diabetes is a silent killer. It affects all your other physiological systems because excess sugar is a toxin ... the frustrations are real.
''I'm as positive as I can be about it but ... that multi-day racing is really hard on the endocrine system even without having diabetes.''
Determined to overcome the frustrations, however, she is working on manipulating her diet to limit the effects of the disease on competition.
''I'm still very much in the experimental phase. It might take me years to get on top of it.''
She hoped by continuing to compete in ''extreme'' events such as Godzone she could be a role model for others and prove diabetes should not hold them back from what they wanted to achieve in life.
''I've always had a real passion for basically just empowering people to live their best lives in terms of eating really well, nourishing their bodies well and exercising every day.
''You're giving yourself the best chance if you just look after yourself and I truly believe that so much of diabetes is prevention.''
Having studied exercise physiology at university, particularly the physiology behind diseases and the link with physical activity, Miss Wilson is already well-informed on the science behind her thinking.
Meeting other IDF young leaders and international specialists at the congress in November and December would allow her to gather even more information to set up education and prevention initiatives in Otago and New Zealand, she said.
Preschools and primary and secondary schools are her main target audience and she hopes to establish support and fundraising groups in the Wanaka area.
While her term as a young leader is for two years - in which she is required to complete a project - Miss Wilson considers her partnership with Diabetes NZ a ''lifelong'' one.
