Diabetes: Becoming a project manager at three years of age

Suddenly, life presented me with a complex and demanding project: managing a disease that does not take breaks and can be both unpredictable and, frankly, deadly.

While most children were playing and learning, I was learning about blood sugars, injections, and counting each bite of food. I didn’t let it overwhelm me; instead, I took control early on to ensure that diabetes would never get in the way of the life I desired.

Managing Type 1 diabetes is a demanding daily task. From a young age, I oversaw my own injections, which were often five per day, and meticulously tracked everything I ate and drank. Living with diabetes is no easy task, especially when blood sugar levels can fall dangerously low.

However, this “project” never became a limitation. It taught me discipline, precision, and resilience — all of which are necessary skills for project managers, even before I knew what they were.

Despite the difficulties of diabetes, I promised myself that it would never define the limits of my life.

Today, I’m a fully qualified dive master who has scuba-dived all over the world, from South Africa’s shark-infested waters to Honduras’ intricate cave systems. Each dive represents a triumph over a condition that many people believe will limit them.

Living the dream: Paul Brothwood riding a Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide at Snowdon (Image: Handout)I’ve also ridden motorcycles across continents, visiting places like the Western Sahara and Somalia. I’ve ridden everything from powerful Harley-Davidsons to my Hayabusa, which is the world’s fastest production motorcycle.

These adventures have reminded me that life with diabetes can be as exciting and limitless as I make it.

One early, crucial moment remains with me. In primary school, a teacher sat me down with a list of professions that supposedly weren’t available to people with Type 1 diabetes, ranging from the armed forces to piloting.

In the 1980s, these restrictions were rarely questioned, which was a harsh experience for a young child.

Paul Brothwood as a young boy at Bromley Hills Primary School (Image: Handout)Nonetheless, rather than limiting my ambitions, it gave me a sense of purpose and determination.

I didn’t just ignore these limitations; I actively challenged them. I went on to establish a career in the construction industry that includes my current position as COO, as well as numerous qualifications such as BA (Hons), DipFSM, DipFA, CeFA, CeMAP, PIEMA, REnvP, TechIOSH, PRINCE2 Practitioner, ITIL4 Practitioner, and SMSTS accreditation.

Living with diabetes has motivated me to advocate for others who face challenges. One of my proudest moments was assisting in the release of Abdirahman Abees, a British citizen detained in Somaliland.

Diabetes taught me resilience, which proved essential in navigating this high-stakes humanitarian effort. It reminded me that sometimes dealing with life’s challenges is more than just surviving; it’s also about helping others fight for their freedom and dignity.

These experiences eventually led me to the United Nations, where I had the opportunity to speak twice on topics of autonomy and development. Addressing the United Nations, I witnessed firsthand how the discipline and determination that diabetes has taught me on a daily basis can be applied to advocating for meaningful global change. Standing at the UN podium, I realised diabetes had prepared me for life’s greatest opportunities.

Diabetes is a difficult and sometimes dangerous condition, but if I can give others one piece of advice, it is to not let it hold them back. Limitations imposed by others are only barriers if you let them be. Your life can be as full, adventurous, and fulfilling as anyone else’s, and having diabetes only strengthens the determination and resourcefulness that drives us forward. Life is a journey that we can shape, condition, or change.