It’s been a long journey which is now into its fifth decade. Do I get a medal soon?!

At the age of 10, I remember drinking a lot of lemon squash and going to the loo more than usual. Then coming out of school one day, with my Mum there to meet me in tears. The rest as they say is history - off to hospital, Type 1 diagnosis, practising injections in an orange and then glass syringes, big needles and the smell of methylated spirit at home.

Forward wind and the advances in diabetes care have been incredible. Insulin pumps and the FreeStyle Libre system - my 10-year-old self would not have believed it.

Let’s keep talking

It was 1983 and I was on a first date aged 17 with a girl called Paula. We went to the cinema and as you do, we sat at the back waiting for the film to start. We had decided to see ‘Merry Xmas Mr Lawrence’.  Neither of us have 20:20 vision (far from it!) and little did we know that the film had subtitles - sitting at the back, we couldn’t read a thing! 

So we spent the whole film talking and the main topic of conversation was my diabetes. Paula became my wife, we have two great kids and if it hadn’t been for my diabetes, it's possible none of that would have happened.

My first piece of advice is: don’t be afraid to tell people about your condition. It’s vitally important you do and it’s absolutely nothing to be ashamed about - it can even have positive results.

An unpredictable work routine

I joined BBC Sport in 1989 as an Admin Clerk, was able to progress through the ranks and ultimately ended up as the Executive Producer and Director of Match of the Day.  As the Director I’m the one in the ear of the likes of Gary Lineker, telling him what is coming next and co-ordinating cameras, sound, graphics, videotape (it’s digital files these days!) and the dozens of people on talkback involved in the production.   

I am proud to say I have overseen all World Cups and Euros for the BBC since 2002, worked on the Olympics and a multitude of other sports and have been so fortunate to travel the world working on these amazing sporting events. 

Not surprisingly my job with its very unpredictable and sometimes long working hours has resulted in a few diabetes scrapes along the way.

In 1998, I had a bad hypo at a Brazil training session in a stadium in France, was lying on the grass behind the goal and ex-Tottenham player Garth Crooks had to run and get me some glucose in front of 1000s of screaming Brazilian fans.

Prior to an England-Argentina game, I had a ‘turn’ not long before the programme was on air on BBC1.  As the programme director I had to be there. The team rallied around, fetched me some Coke and I made it - just. The audience watching at home never knew!

Embracing the available technology

I sometimes wish it would, but I know that my diabetes is never going to go away.  Sometimes that’s hard to take, but it can be managed. The technology to assist with the condition these days is fantastic and life-changing.

For example, thanks to the FreeStyle Libre system* and LibreView**, the hospital can track my progress remotely which is amazing, particularly given the tough times we are all facing currently.

Nowadays, whilst there can of course be ups and downs, life is so much easier.  As the countdown to a programme is taking place, I can hold my mobile phone to my arm and immediately get my glucose results, all thanks to the FreeStyle Libre sensor and the FreeStyle LibreLink app***.

Gone are the days of finger pricking**** and dropping my lancets on the floor of a cramped production gallery or getting blood on my all-important scripts!

Now I have to face different situations: I was once stopped at an airport in Russia by security who demanded to know (in Russian) what it was that was attached to my arm… 

My second piece of advice it to use the tools available to you, try to control your diabetes and don’t let diabetes control you - it’s not an original message, but if you can do that, anything is possible.

Phil Bigwood is Executive Producer, Football at the BBC.