As World Health Day just passed on Monday, 7 April, there’s is no better face to celebrate it than Catherine Jacob, an 18-year-old competitive surfer who’s riding waves—and managing Type 1 diabetes—with incredible grace and grit.
Based in Ballito, Catherine is currently in her Matric year, juggling studies with surf comps across the country. Her competitive journey began at 14, right after COVID restrictions eased, but her connection to the ocean stretches way back.
“My family spends a lot of time on the beach, and I have an older brother who surfed in competitions, so it was natural for me to start surfing from a young age,” she shares.
Since then, Catherine has made waves at the KZN Champs, SA Champs, and joined the South African Surf Tour (SAST) in 2023. She’s competed at some of South Africa’s top surf spots—Long Beach, Vic Bay, Port Alfred, Cape St Francis, Jeffreys Bay, Nahoon, Durban, and Ballito—right alongside the country’s finest junior surfers.
All this, while navigating the highs and lows (literally) of Type 1 diabetes.
A Diagnosis That Changed Everything
“I was 12, in Grade 6, when I got diagnosed,” says Catherine. “I was losing weight fast, my swimming costumes didn’t fit anymore, and I was so thirsty that I ended up eating ice out of strangers’ cooler boxes on the beach!”
A post-exam nap where she slept through the bell was the final red flag—her parents took her to the doctor, and she was rushed to hospital with dangerously high blood sugar.
“I wish I’d known how many cool devices exist to help people with diabetes and make their lives easier,” she says now. “I use Medtronic’s InPen, linked with the Simplera Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM). It logs my insulin doses and even calculates how much I need to inject for meals, which took a lot of pressure off.”
Surfing with Type 1 Diabetes
Managing Type 1 diabetes isn’t just about food and insulin—it’s a full-body balancing act affected by stress, hormones, sleep, even weather. For a competitive surfer, it’s next-level complex.
“The biggest challenge is knowing what my sugars are doing,” she explains. “I can be out at backline for two to three hours at a time. Using a CGM gives me confidence that my levels are stable before I head out.”
Her Message: You’re Not Limited
Catherine’s approach is clear: diabetes doesn’t limit potential.
“You can still do anything everyone else does. You just need to learn how your body reacts and have a strong support network around you.”
And what makes her life sweet? “Surfing with my friends. They’re such an amazing support.”
Meet the Sweet Life Community
Sweet Life is South Africa’s leading online diabetes community, offering accessible info on healthy eating, exercise, mental health, and the basics of diabetes. Discover more inspiring stories and support on their website, or join the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.
You can also chat to the Sweet Life Chatbot on WhatsApp to get answers to your diabetes questions.
Image Credits:
📸 @karl_liebenberg | @profarazzi_surf | @kodymcgregor
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