World Diabetes Day: Pilot forced to give up RAF career backs campaign to take stress out of travel
ITV reporter Rachel Hepworth spoke to Douglas Cairns and the charity behind the campaign to take the stress out of travelling with diabetes.
A pilot, forced to quit his RAF career when he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, is backing a campaign to raise awareness of the condition and take the stress out of travel.
Douglas Cairns from Hove was 25 and had recently qualified as a jet pilot, when his condition came to light in 1989.
He was forced to give up his boyhood dream of flying for the military, and at the time was unable to pilot ANY plane because of strict CAA rules about flying with insulin-treated diabetes.
"It was a very bitter blow," he said. "On the same day I was literally told by the doctor that I had Type 1 diabetes, and I USED to be a pilot.
"With the risk of going low on blood sugar, my flying days were over."
Improvements in treatment and changes in the law meant that in 2003, he became the first pilot with Type 1 diabetes to complete a round-the-world flight.
He co-founded the campaign group Pilots with Diabetes, to advocate for others in his position to fly privately and professionally worldwide.
As part of the campaign, he's completed further challenges to prove that diabetes is no barrier to ambition or capability- among them, landing at the north pole and smashing the record for landing in every state in the US, from fifteen days to five.
"It was lots of challenging, endurance related projects which would highlight what we CAN do with diabetes - it need not limit the scope of anyone's dreams and ambitions.
When it comes to travelling, whether you're a pilot or a passenger, as long as you're well prepared and thinking ahead, there's no need to get concerned about it at all."
Now, to mark World Diabetes Day on November 14th, he's backing a campaign by the Hampshire-based Diabetes Research & Wellness Foundation, in conjunction with regional airports, to raise awareness of the condition, and best support travellers.
Launched at Bournemouth airport, and being rolled out at Exeter and Norwich airports, the campaign centres around a checklist for passengers with diabetes, giving them all the information they need to know to prepare themselves for every eventuality, and signal to airport staff what it means to be diabetic.
The leaflet, also available on-line, is wallet-sized and includes information on how to spot the signs of high or low glucose levels, and even simple phrases in other languages to explain that you are diabetic.
Sarah Tutton, Chief Executive of the Diabetes Research & Wellness Foundation, said: “Diabetes is a complex condition that can be both life limiting and life threatening, but all types of diabetes can be managed effectively with early diagnosis, the right treatment, information and support.
“We’re delighted to be working with Bournemouth Airport because travelling can be very challenging for people with diabetes, especially when flying and having to navigate airport security while carrying medicines, wearable devices essential to insulin delivery or blood glucose monitoring and needing to carry foods to eat or drink to maintain stable blood glucose levels.”
Steve Gill, Managing Director of Bournemouth Airport, said: “We pride ourselves on supporting passengers with hidden disabilities to make their experience through the airport as safe and enjoyable as possible.
“There are a potential 60,000 people with diabetes using the airport every year.
"By working with Sarah and her team at the Diabetes Research & Wellness Foundation our goal is to raise general awareness of the condition and ensure that our staff know how to provide help and support if required. It’s another example of how regional airports continually innovate to provide the highest standards of assistance and care.”
The number of people living with diabetes in the UK has more than doubled in 20 years to 4.9 million, with an estimated 537 million people affected globally.