Hi there! I’m Steffi, 27, and I live with type 1 diabetes (T1D).
About 10 years ago, my pancreas quit without notice, leaving me with the full time job of regulating my blood glucose levels. Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease which causes the body to attack its own insulin-producing beta cells within the pancreas. Insulin, however, is necessary in order to break down glucose and transport it from the bloodstream into the body cells where it is needed for energy. Without insulin the glucose stays in the bloodstream and builds up, while the body cells lack energy. This can have serious medical consequences. Therefore, I need to test my blood glucose and inject insulin numerous times every day. But that’s not all. I need to constantly take care of myself and my body. Guess carbs, fats and proteins. Calculate. Control myself again and again. Triumph again and again, fail again and again. Think about possible complications. Block out possible complications. Read the signs that my body is giving me. And along the way, factor in all the other things that could possibly affect my blood glucose levels, such as sports, stress or simply life. The cause for T1D is still unknown and there is currently no cure.
I know this sounds awful and honestly, I don’t love it. But today’s modern therapy enables me to lead a full and happy life. That doesn’t mean that I’m crazy about pricking my fingers and stabbing myself with needles, or that I like seeing all that medical stuff lying around in my apartment and in every single purse I own. To be honest, I dreaded the mere sight of my glucose meter for years. That wasn’t me, not my illness. I never chose this.
But after a while, I started owning my diabetes and accepting it. Not as my life but as a part of the mosaic that makes up my life. I pepped up my diabetes, found pretty medical equipment and put cupcakes on it. PEP ME UP, so to speak.
I’m not saying that I’m friends with the diabetes monster. But at least it seems a little less scary to me now. It may sound weird, but to me, that little cupcake sticker can make a huge difference! Diabetes care doesn’t need to be ugly or boring. We don’t need to be reminded that diabetes is serious business. Instead, let’s make it colourful and fun! Let’s PEP things UP! 
I know that I can’t be the only one who feels this way. In fact, over the past few months, so many of you have written to me and asked where I got those cute little stickers I put on my Freestyle Libre sensor. Well, I got creative! And I got a little help from my friends. The result is a handful of pretty and colourful Freestyle Libre Stickers. And I’m proud to be able to offer them to you in my pretty little online shop. Over time, there will be more and more things to find on here, but of course my blog will remain my favourite project. Stay tuned and have fun with the Freestyle Libre Stickers. I hope they add a little colour and fun to your life with diabetes! 