Wednesday marked World Diabetes Day, an effort to unite people around the world who have been somehow affected by this epidemic
GWINN -- Pat Wilson has had type one diabetes for 50 years, but don't call her a diabetic.
"I guess I hate the term. When someone goes, 'I'm a diabetic,' you know, I don't like that term. I'm a person who has a chronic disease, and I'm living and managing it. And you do the best you can... with anything really," said Wilson.
She found out she had the disease when she was 10 years old, and doctors initially told her she may not make it to 40. But a recent medal proves differently. It's an award Wilson received from the Joslin Diabetes Center, honoring her half-century-long battle with the disease.
"Incredibly amazing! When Pat was diagnosed with diabetes, she didn't have access to the tools that we have today. So probably some of it was luck that she's made it this far because she didn't have the tools. But now, chances are, you can live a healthy, long life," said the director of the Upper Peninsula Diabetes Outreach Network.
New technology is making Wilson's battle easier. In the beginning, she gave herself insulin shots several times each day. Now, with the help of mini computers, it's all automated. And to stay one step ahead of her diabetes, her daily routine includes eating healthy and exercising.
Wilson also says her diabetes hasn't stopped her from doing what she loves and staying active. She does that by taking care of her nine horses right in her backyard.
"You know, you can do everything right, and your blood sugars are still high or they're still low. But, I guess I never let it get me down. Instead of letting the disease tell me where I'm going to go, I've said, OK, we're going to do this," she added.
And when referring to her medal, she has one thing to say about the doctor who told her that she wouldn't live past 40: "I wish he were still alive so I could show it to him!"
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