Embracing Diabetes, compassion, community and creativity

In this episode we have an extensive conversation with Lisa about her life with diabetes, how it has impacted her work, her journey with the documentary industry, and how she remains hopeful that we will find a cure for Type 1 diabetes!

Featured on this Episode:
Lisa Hepner, Director/Producer of The Human Trial, and her partner Guy Mossman run LA-based Vox Pop Films, a production company specializing in non-fiction content and commercials. For the last 25 years, Lisa has produced a variety of films and programs for Sony Pictures Classics, HBO, A&E, PBS, Lifetime, Discovery, MTV, TLC, and the CBC. She has produced for acclaimed directors Jonathan Demme, Michael Apted, Julie Taymor, and Lisa F. Jackson, among others. When she wasn’t in the field, Lisa worked at the PBS station, 13-WNET, producing a variety of programs, including the Emmy Award winning series, Air: America’s Investigative Reports. In 2003, she co-directed the feature doc, Peace by Peace: Women on the Frontlines. Shot in Afghanistan, Argentina, Burundi, Bosnia-Herzegovina and the US, the film premiered at the UN in 2003 and aired on PBS in 2004. She has lived with type 1 diabetes for 30 years, for about as long as she’s worked in film and TV. This is Lisa’s feature directorial debut.

Resources:
TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30146N9nY7U

What's living with diabetes like for you? This is the question Dr. Bill Polonsky asked during his first day on the job at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston. The waiting room was full of patients who expressed gratitude for his curiosity. "Thank you," they said. "No one has ever asked me that question before." He continued asking this question for weeks, months and years with the same result. and states the obvious, "I shouldn't be the first person asking that question." On this episode we talk to Bill about the emotional impact of living with diabetes including issues like diabetes distress, the importance of empathy and trust between doctor and patient and the importance of making diabetes technology affordable for everyone.

Featured on this Episode:
Dr. William "Bill" Polonsky is President and Co-Founder of the Behavioral Diabetes Institute, the world’s first organization wholly dedicated to studying and addressing the unmet psychological needs of people with diabetes. He is also Associate Clinical Professor in Medicine at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Polonsky received his PhD in clinical psychology from Yale University and has served as Senior Psychologist at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, faculty member at Harvard Medical School and Chairman of the National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators. A licensed clinical psychologist, certified diabetes care and educational specialist, and highly-cited research scientist (with more than 100 peer-reviewed publications in the field of behavioral diabetes), he received the American Diabetes Association’s 2020 Outstanding Educator in Diabetes Award and the American Diabetes Association’s 2014 Richard R. Rubin Award for distinguished contributions tobehavioral medicine and psychology.

Resources for this Episode:
Behavioral diabetes institute: https://behavioraldiabetes.org

Dr. Matt Corcoran is such an inspiration for the diabetes community! Despite not living with type 1 dm, he is deeply engaged in helping others see themselves as athletes who also live with type 1, and raising money for scholarships and support for his amazing Diabetes Training Camps.

Featured on this Episode
Dr Matthew Corcoran is Founder and President of Diabetes Training Camp, which is a unique clinical resource devoted to providing general fitness and multi-sports camps and services for teens and adults with diabetes. Dr Corcoran is a board-certified endocrinologist, completing his internal medicine residency and fellowship at the University of Chicago. He currently serves as Medical Director for Shore Physicians Group in South Jersey. Recognized nationally and internationally as a speaker on diabetes, exercise and sports, he has also consulted with high school, collegiate, Olympic and professional athletes with type 1 diabetes. “I have been privileged through my work with Diabetes Training Camp to meet an amazing array of inspirational people with diabetes who challenge it on a daily basis. By bringing medicine and exercise science together, we can make it easier for everyone with diabetes to stay on top of their game.”

Resources for this Episode
Diabetes Training Camp: https://diabetestrainingcamp.com/
Come Experience the Magic! The 5th Annual DTC Foundation benefit
DTC Facebook
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter: https://diabetestrainingcamp.com/contact

About this Episode:
We talk to Ana Morales about her journey with diabetes, how it impacts her art, and exciting plans she has for a graphic novel. You even get to hear her kitty in the background!

Featured on this Episode:
Ana Morales is based in Roanoke, Virginia and works primarily as a mixed media artist. She holds an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a BFA from James Madison University, where she studied studio art and art education. She works at LeisureMedia360 in Roanoke as the art director for publications including the Roanoker Magazine and the Virginia Travel Guide. Morales has exhibited her work locally and nationally.

Artist statement:
My work is largely informed by my life as a type 1 diabetic. I’m primarily interested in art-making as an opportunity to play and experiment. I’m also interested in processes that mimic my daily life with diabetes—processes that explore repetition and routine, control, order, and risk. While my early work is quite literal, my more recent work explores the broader idea of illness versus wellness and the day-to-day fluctuations of mental health.

Resources for this Episode: Website: amoralesart.com, Instagram: @anamoralesart

On this episode, Allison Nimlos, Licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, and diabetes health coach shares her wisdom with Liz and Amy about "navigating life's disruptions." Allison tells us about the super helpful class she designed and runs called "T1 D and the three Ps, preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum."
Allison is co-founder of the diabetes and mental health conference, which will run from May 5-6, 2023 and is open for registration! The virtual conference is for any adult interested in the intersection of diabetes and mental health.
Featured on this Episode:
Allison Nimlos is a licensed marriage and family therapist and diabetes health coach in private practice in the Twin Cities, Minnesota. As a therapist, she primarily works with adults and couples, focusing on the impact of chronic illness on mental health. As a health coach, Allison helps clients live healthier, more fulfilling lives with diabetes by focusing on developing self-compassion and improving data-driven diabetes decisions. She has created two self-paced courses, Diabetes Decoded (focused on pattern analysis and decision-making) and T1D & the 3Ps (focused on pregnancy) Allison is also the co-founder of the virtual Diabetes + Mental Health Conference, which will take place in May 2023. Allison has lived with type 1 diabetes for nearly 30 years. She is married and the mother of two young boys.
Mentioned on the episode:
Diabetes + Mental Health Conference
Allison's website, Greater Than Counseling & Coaching