Some people may have heard of IndyCar driver Charlie Kimball, who competes in the IZOD IndyCar Series with Chip Ganassi Racing, but what many don’t know is that he was the first ever race-car driver to be diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. He was diagnosed at 22 years of age.
As with many athletes who were diagnosed with type 1 in adulthood, he reveals that he has questioned whether he would ever be able to continue what he loves most, Kimball shared with The Chicago Tribune.
“There is no place where I feel more alive than at the race track in a car, and when I was diagnosed I didn’t know if I would ever be able to get behind the wheel again,” Kimball said.
Kimball, who is now 27, hasn’t allowed the disease to stop his dream from becoming a reality. His racing career is going strong with the help of trainers who have worked with diabetic athletes and the latest in glucose monitoring technology.
Kimball is equally as impressive off the track. He has chosen to be a leader and a role-model for diabetes patients by going to hospitals and talking to families and their type 1 kids about never giving up their dreams because of their condition.
“I’m doing what I love and I have the opportunity to help people, hopefully inspire someone to overcome their diabetes or any other obstacle. There is a lot of strength in the ability to overcome,” Kimball expresses.
It is a good reminder that no matter how hard things may seem at a certain point, learning about your problem, exploring ways to overcome it, and setting a focused strategy toward success may just help you achieve what you think to be almost impossible. The same can certainly be said about our mission to find a cure for type 1 diabetes.
– Stoyan
