Famous Athletes with Type 1 Diabetes Wearing CGM

Many famous athletes with type 1 diabetes, like the NFL player Jay Cutler, and gymnast Charlotte Drury, excel despite the challenges of managing their condition. They must balance intense training with constant blood sugar monitoring and insulin management. Their stories of resilience and success prove that type 1 diabetes does not hinder athletic achievement, inspiring many others with their determination.

Many type 1 diabetics say that diabetes is a full-time job, and for good reason. Carb counting, insulin dosing, and avoiding high and low blood sugars can be all-consuming. Athletes with type 1 diabetes deal with all of these struggles, plus the added pressure of their intense schedules and competitions. They have to work even harder than their fellow athletes to reach their goals. Even so, several type 1 diabetic athletes are rising to the challenge and pursuing their dreams.

Athletes with T1D do more than just break records and win medals. They’re living proof that diabetes doesn’t have to prevent us from achieving challenging goals.

Here are a few of their extraordinary stories.

Jay Cutler

Jay Cutler is a former NFL quarterback who played for the Denver Broncos, Chicago Bears, and the Miami Dolphins. He played 12 seasons in the league, retiring after the 2017 season.

Cutler realized something wasn’t right during training for the 2008 season with the Broncos. He was losing weight and feeling drained of energy. One day his trainer alerted him that his blood sugar was at 550, and told him he should go to the doctor. He was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, as his trainer had suspected. At the time, Cutler was only 25 and just reaching the peak of his career. The NFL released a statement announcing Cutler’s diagnosis and assuring the public that his career wasn’t in jeopardy.

But the diagnosis meant Cutler had to make some lifestyle changes. He candidly discussed that it wasn’t easy to learn how to manage diabetes, but he’s learned that a good routine and healthy diet are key.

“It’s something you go to sleep with and you wake up with everyday,” Cutler said, speaking to ESPN. “It’s not something that you can just be like ‘Hey, I’m going to take a day off here and I’ll catch back up with it tomorrow.’ It’s difficult to deal with. I think more than anything over the past three, four, five years is I’ve changed my diet a lot. I think that’s made the biggest impact on me being able to control my numbers and being able to control diabetes.”

Raising awareness for type 1 is important to Cutler. While he was playing for the NFL, he partnered with Eli Lilly for their Touchdowns for Diabetes campaign to raise money for kids with type 1 to go to diabetes camp.

Noah Gray

Noah Gray is at the top of his game. He’s a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, who won the Superbowl in 2023.

Gray was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 18 as a freshman in college. He was struggling in his workouts, losing weight, urinating frequently, and experiencing vision loss.

Gray’s diagnosis forced him to mature and focus on his health. For one thing, his college habit of eating pizza every night had to end. But Gray learned how to take care of his diabetes and eat a balanced diet, which also helped him as an athlete.

A few years after his diagnosis, Gray was able to get an insulin pump and Dexcom CGM. He’s found the devices immensely helpful for controlling his blood sugar and they help him to avoid major incidents on the field.

“My blood sugar has been 10 times better since I got (the pump),” he said in an article published by the NFL. “It’s like a constant drip and constantly corrects if my blood sugar is going high or low, so that’s been really helpful.”

Gray is also enthusiastic about helping others, especially kids, with type 1 diabetes. “It’s really important to me to try to help other people with (Type 1), especially the younger generations, because I see how hard it is on me. I can’t imagine how it is for them,” he says.

Charlotte Drury

Charlotte Drury is a gymnast who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes just before the Tokyo Olympic trials.

Despite training harder than ever, she realized leading up to the trials that she wasn’t making any progress. She blamed stress and depression, but it just didn’t add up. Finally, she went to the doctor and was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

The diagnosis was overwhelming for Drury, but she was feeling like herself again after a couple of weeks of learning how to control her blood sugar.

With all of the stress and the learning curve to manage her diabetes, Drury’s dream of making the Olympic team seemed almost impossible. But she decided not to give up and got back to practicing as soon as she was feeling better. She was able to make the US Olympic team as an alternate for the Tokyo Olympics.

Olympics.com shared Drury’s story in an article you can read here.

Garry Hall Junior

Gary Hall Jr. is a three-time Olympic swimmer and 10-time Olympic medalist, winning 5 Olympic gold medals during his career.

While he was training for his second Olympic games, Hall was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. At the time, he was told by two doctors that he wouldn’t be able to continue as a competitive swimmer. Thankfully, Hall didn’t take no for an answer and found a team of healthcare professionals who supported him so that he could continue to compete at a high level.

“The team I had supporting me really empowered me,” Hall said in an interview for Olympics.com. “The way we managed my diabetes to achieve that success has changed what is now taught in medical school. There was no literature, and very, very few resources available about how to manage diabetes in sport. There is much more now, but still not enough.”

Hall went on to become the first athlete to win an Olympic medal with type 1 diabetes. He’s also been involved in diabetes advocacy, working with nonprofits and sports organizations to help raise awareness and help type 1 diabetics get access to important resources.

Mason Miller

Mason Miller is a pitcher who plays for the MLB’s Oakland A’s. When he was a sophomore in college, he submitted a urine sample for a drug test. He was alerted that something was wrong — his blood sugar was dangerously high, and he needed to go to the hospital. He was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 20 years old.

But diabetes hasn’t kept Miller from his dream of playing baseball. In fact, he’s learned a lot about taking care of his body and eating healthy, which has helped him improve athletically.

Miller is happy to use his platform to inspire kids with diabetes. He’s met with several young fans with type 1 before games to chat with them and sign baseballs. “I just try to show them I’m a real person,” Miller said in a quote from MLB.com. “It’s a cool moment for me as much as it is for them. Being diagnosed at 20, I didn’t really have the same struggles or upbringing that they did. But just being able to be a role model for them is a cool moment for me.”

Kate Hall

Kate Hall is an American jumper and sprinter who holds the national record for high school long jump. She is a two-time NCAA Division I champion and even made it to the Olympic trials final in 2016.

Hall was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and celiac disease at 10 years old. From the start, she was determined to learn how to manage her diabetes independently. Her parents were supportive and instead of micromanaging her care, they allowed her to take the reins. Hall attributes her work ethic to her diagnosis and learning to care for her diabetes at such a young age. The discipline she learned has helped her to achieve many of her athletic goals.

Recently, Kate’s focus has shifted from competing to raising awareness. She actively shares her journey as a type 1 diabetic and new mom on social media. She’s passionate about diabetes advocacy and helping others to see that diabetes doesn’t have to stand in the way of their goals. “The message I’m trying to give is that type 1 diabetes doesn’t have to stop you from doing anything you want to do,” she said in an article for Runner’s World. “It doesn’t have to control you. You can control it.”

To hear more of Hall’s story, check out our T1Dialogue with Kate Hall , where Kate spoke with NJAP’s founder, Pete Lomas, about her career, diabetes, and more.

Jack Trigger

Ever since he was a child, Jack Trigger has had a passion for sailing. He entered his first sailing competition at just eight years old and now participates in sailing competitions on an international level.

But at 21, Trigger faced a diagnosis that put his sailing career at risk. While racing in the Arabian Gulf, Trigger noticed that he was unusually thirsty and fatigued. He thought it was because of the extreme temperatures, but when he returned home he realized he had lost 20 kilograms. He knew something was seriously wrong, so he went to the hospital where he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

After the initial shock wore off and Trigger started to feel like himself again, his thoughts immediately turned to his career. Injecting insulin and testing his blood sugar while sailing was challenging, but Trigger didn’t give up. In time, he got an insulin pump and CGM system. Diabetes technology has helped him to be able to continue with his sailing career, and he often speaks about how important these devices are for him. “My continuous glucose monitor (CGM) is the thing that means I can go across oceans and be safe, especially on my own, because I haven’t got someone looking after me. Instead, I’ve got the CGM to look after me,” he said in an article for JDRF.

Trigger’s story is only just beginning. He’s determined to complete the Vendee Globe, which entails sailing around the world solo without stopping. He would be the first person with type 1 diabetes to achieve this.

Learn more about Jack Trigger and his amazing story, check out our interview with Jack.

Nacho Fernández

Nacho Fernandez is a Spanish professional footballer who currently plays for Saudi Pro League club Al-Qadsiah. He’s spent most of his career playing for the infamous Real Madrid, where he won a total of 26 trophies, the most of any player in the club’s history. He recently helped lead Spain to victory in the UEFA Euro 2024 final.

What many people don’t know about Fernandez is that he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 12. At the time, he was told that his football career was over. Thankfully, Fernandez found a capable endocrinologist who encouraged him to continue playing.

Of course, being a pro footballer while managing diabetes isn’t without its challenges. But Fernandez focuses on his game and doesn’t let diabetes get in the way. He works hard to take care of himself so he can maintain a high level of performance. “If you have to take care of yourself as a footballer then being a diabetic too means you have do it three times as much,” he mentioned when speaking to MARCA, “I’m a normal person though. It is a disease that is there but I do things right in dealing with it and always try to take care of myself.”

While Fernandez doesn’t often speak out about diabetes, he’s mentioned that he usually shares his story personally with kids in the hospital.

Athletes with type 1 diabetes are real-life superheroes in our community. While all athletes need determination and discipline to achieve their goals, athletes with type 1 work especially hard to compete at the highest levels of their sports. They’re truly inspirational, and their incredible stories encourage type 1 diabetics to live life without limits.

Who’s your favourite athlete living with type 1 diabetes?

If you’re a type 1 athlete we’d love to hear your story!
Get in touch with us and share what has helped you to achieve your goals.