One of the country’s top basketballers is shining a light on the impact of type-1 diabetes and is keen to spread the message that a diagnosis doesn’t mark the end of your sporting dreams.
Only a year ago Dion Collins was travelling in Bali with his family when hesaw his health decline in rapid fashion. Frequent urination, plummeting body weight and constant nausea rendered the Manawatū Jets forward “pretty much bedridden”.
“Mum called a doctor to the hotel in Bali and they came and put me on a drip. [They] tested my blood sugars and pretty much said, ‘You’re in trouble, you need to go to hospital right now’.”
Thanks to extensive travel insurance cover, Collins was flown to Perth for treatment and returned to New Zealand with a type-1 diagnosis.
“In hindsight, I had symptoms for a long time, like months, maybe even years, and just ignored them or downplayed them,” Collins said.
“You don’t ever wake up and think, ‘oh, I have diabetes’, especially considering what I do.”
Basketballer Dion Collins (right) gets high for the Manawatū Jets. Photo / Supplied
Life on and off the court changed rapidly for Collins as he began to navigate keeping his sporting career alive while balancing a condition that is “24/7”.
“It’s quite miserable for the first few months… you’re trying to come to terms with a chronic illness and you’re realising that you have to make life and death decisions multiple times a day.”
Now his body is getting the help it requires, Collins said his diagnosis acts as a “superpower” at times.
“When I get my blood sugars right, I feel amazing,” he said. “If I take a year ago to now, I feel like a different person.”
After six months of focusing on his own journey, Collins began to give back after being inspired by kids with diabetes coming up to him after games to meet their hero – something he described as “better than the game itself”.
Basketballer Dion Collins (centre) with teammate Kenny Goins (left), family friend Pat Phillips and his mum and dad Jude and Dave.
Diabetes New Zealand soon caught wind of his work. Fast forward to today, Collins is now an ambassador with the organisation and its upcoming One Million Minutes movement campaign in November.
The campaign aims to raise awareness of type-1 and -2 diabetes in New Zealand by having Kiwis track and record their physical movement in any way, shape or form, with a collective goal of one million minutes of movement.
All funds raised will go towards the charity’s national and local programmes that support young people through their own diagnosis journeys, including the 67 New Zealanders diagnosed with type 1 and 2 diabetes every day.
“Having Dion front it is so fantastic for us because he’s going to generate interest, motivation for people [and] he’s going to be a fantastic influencer for the youth,” Diabetes NZ CEO Heather Verry said.
Diabetes NZ CEO Heather Verry says people like Dion Collins are inspirational for the diabetes community.
“We think people like this are quite inspirational for our community, whether it be for those youngsters who have been diagnosed with type 1 or those that are getting type 2 at a very early age.”
Collins’ advice for people recently diagnosed with diabetes is to find out what works for them, and for those who haven’t lived through it to be supportive of that.
“The best thing that the support circle can do is just be there. Diabetes, especially type 1, is so complex and at the start it’s so overwhelming… you’re just trying to survive.”
“I try to be mindful of my role to support but not to put too much pressure on,” said Collins’ father Dave Collins. “Watching him go through this is a proud thing but it comes down to resilience [and] attitude.”
Collins junior is refusing to let his diagnosis define him, instead using it as a “silver lining” to help and guide those going through the same thing.
“I’ve said this to many people – that if I have to suffer, it may as well be for the good of others.”
In November, Collins is taking part in the One Million Minutes fundraising campaign.
