So nice to have you here.
My name is Bridget McNulty, and I’m a writer and co-founder of Sweet Life, South Africa’s largest online diabetes community.
I live in Cape Town, South Africa, with my husband, son and daughter, and I love nothing more than a cup of tea and a good book – preferably somewhere green and lovely.
I use this space to write about things I find inspiring, ideas I’m grappling with, and the quest for meaning in everyday life.
I hope you find a slice of joy while you’re here!
Where to from here?
Most of my daily work is tied up with Sweet Life, the NPO/PBO I co-founded, and South Africa’s largest online diabetes community. Sweet Life is a community that informs, inspires and connects people with diabetes in South Africa. We offer reliable advice on all you need to know about diabetes, support diabetics, and share that just because you have diabetes, doesn’t mean you can’t live a happy, healthy life.
My book, The Grief Handbook, was internationally published by Watkins Publishing in the UK, USA and South Africa. You can buy a copy from Amazon UK, Amazon.com, Bookshop.org, Takealot.com or from South African independent bookstores, Exclusives and Bargain Books.
Just want to know what’s on my mind? Head over to the Thoughts page and let’s chat.
Join me online
Hi 😊 I am a type 1 diabetic and I have been very disappointed at the lack of awareness and community between South African diabetics relative to other countries.
I have teamed up with 7 other diabetics to start a non-profit organization with the aim of building a community, educating, advocating, supporting and lost importantly, creating a platform where people with extra supplies can donate and those in need can get access. The next steps after launching and hopefully getting a reasonable amount of attention on our social media pages is to design tshirts with a logo that distinctly represents the South African type 1 community and eventually expand into other products and ultimately register as a non-profit organization. All proceeds will be donated to charity or research. We have 8 very committed people who are putting in a lot of effort to create some Social media buzz before our launch early next year.
We would really appreciate your support. Please like our pages, please send in posts and comments when we ask for them, please come to our events and please spread the word about us. We are called Bete It. If you email me or give me your Facebook and Instagram handles I can let you know when the pages are ready.
Thank you for what you do for the community. Hopefully we can do the same and make the impact even bigger.
Hi Yuvanya!
That all sounds wonderful. There is actually a thriving diabetes community that offers education and support on Facebook (www.facebook.com/DiabeticSouthAfricans) and on our website (www.sweetlife.org.za). Maybe take a look at those first so you don’t reinvent the wheel? Very excited to support you in all your endeavours!
Thank McNulty!
People like u are a welcome relief given the fact that we are a community suffering in silence. Sometimes even families fail us when they cook or buying groceries.
My name is Simpiwe Mancotywa and I am Type 2 with sometimes uncontrolled case issues and I am plus 50 years diagnosed five years ago.
Can the community provide me with tried and tested wrong and right meals. It is my number one failure especially during the day. I eat wrong foods or not eat at all and compensate by eating a lots of fruits which they add to higher sugar levels.
Please help guys as like many, would love to borrow another twenty years of life.
Thank you once again and from now on Will follow ur online blogsq
Hi Simphiwe!
Thanks so much for your message. Check out http://www.sweetlife.org.za for all kinds of information on the right and wrong meals, and please join Diabetic South Africans too!
Hi Bridget!
I would love to have you on my podcast: A Quest for Well-Being. It has 30,600+ downloads, 128,000 Youtube views, and 2500+newsletter subscribers!
We can discuss the topic in your book How to Live a Happy Life (with a Chronic Illness).
To listen to previously published episodes, please visit: fitforjoy.org/podcast
If interested, please email me: valeria@fitforjoy.org
Looking forward to our meaningful conversation!
Much Love and Joy!!!
Valeria
Good day Bridget
I am a regular listener of HEART radio, luckily otherwise I would have missed your chat with SUGA. Amazing chat ……
My name is Nicholas Vamvakas, originally from Boksburg , now living in Plumstead, Cape Town since 2012 .
Having spent 10 years in Greece ( country of my origins ) and 20 years in FRANCE ( where my son was born ). A few people have recommended that I write a book ( biography ) of my life experiences. After much thought, I have decided to do so ; but have no clue where to begin and , I would prefer to write it with a person who has experience for guidance in the edition stages.
If you can assist, at first, with the basic ropes , this would truly be appreciated as I truly don’t know where to begin .
Warn greetings
hope this finds you well. Congratulations on your new book. I remember A Strange and Nervous Laughter with great fondness as I was based at our store in the Pavilion when it came out (also how proud your dad was of you the time or two he visited us at the store)
Would it be at all possible to get just 4 copies of The Grief Hbk from you for my current bookshop, please?
Ta and blue skies
Linda
Exclusive Books Cavendish
Oh what a lovely memory of Exclusive Books in the Pav, thank you Linda! I’ll email you now 🙂
Hi Bridget
Have just read the article in the You Magazine, about your new book, ” The Grief Handbook”.
Congratulations ! So wonderful, and so helpful, to so many.
My heartfelt condolences on the death of your precious Mother.
I have experienced an awful lot of grief, over the years, as I have lost both my brothers ( 18 and 28), my father and my mother.
Writing poetry, since 1987, until now, has certainly helped me cope. I read some of my poetry in Washington D.C. in 2003 at the annual International Society of Poets Symposium. My Mum had Alzheimer’s disease, during the last 10-12 years of her life. Consequently, I put together a calendar, regarding all my experiences over this period.
I donated copies to the Alzheimer’s Association in Pinetown, KZN to help raise funds for them.
I would very much like to chat with you, but realize that you are a very busy lady. If you could respond to this, or chat, I would so appreciate it. I live in Amanzimtoti, KZN.
Thank you .
How amazing, Rozanne! What a lot you’ve done… I’m so sorry for your multiple losses, I can’t imagine 🙁
I’ll send you an email now, thank you for this lovely message.
My partner of 32 years died of lung cancer in dec 2018. I was in a daze 2019, bereft in 2020 and am now confronting life. The world saw me travel abroad, host many lunches, work and write and generally function. But I was on the life raft you describe. I am off to love books for your book.
Unfortunately only the bereaved have any idea whst or how to help – kindly tho people are.
Oh I’m so sorry for your loss, Kathie… I agree, it’s a land you can’t imagine until you travel there. Sending you so much love and strength as you navigate your grief journey xxx
Dear Bridget,
I am from way across the pond in Saint Louis, Missouri. I have had a difficult time with the loss of a family member. My wife brought your Grief Handbook home from the library.
Your practical suggestions and permission to grieve in my own way were very helpful. Even things that I had read or heard elsewhere were made much more meaningful by the way you presented and expressed them.
Thank you for sharing your insights and compassion with the rest of us.
You’re one heck of a writer.
Jerry Herd
Hi Jerry!
Thank you so much for this beautiful message – it totally made my day! I really appreciate you reaching out.
Lots of love and strength to you as you navigate your grief journey… And thanks again for brightening my day from across the pond!
Hi Bridget,
I just wanted to say thank you for all the time you put into writing this book for others who have to journey this sad path of grief. Your book spoke to me in so many ways and when I finished I read it again. It gave me hope that I’m going to get through this and one day be ok. I know she would be very grateful that my sister and I have your book to get us through this time. I’m still in the fog but wanted to send my gratitude for helping us navigate this new life missing our mom.
Ah, thank you so much for this kind message, Janelle… I’m so sorry for the fog, but so pleased my book is helping a little. You’re not alone in this! One day things will feel brighter… Lots of love until then.
Morning
I liked the write up in the Daily Maverick. I wonder why is it so hard to get a good idea off the ground. Good luck with than.
I would please like to understand – what would a CGM cost if the country got the say 500 K we need ? Volume and cutting out the middle man is so powerful. What would a person save by going CGM agains the old method.
WHAT is the gap per person per month ? Any idea ?
Hi Corne!
Thanks so much for your message. At the moment each sensor (which lasts 2 weeks) costs R990 cash, R780 if you’re on Discovery and get one free and then have to pay for the other. Strips costs roughly R150 per box of 50, so if you want to test your blood sugar at least 5 times a day (bearing in mind that you eat 3 times and need to test each time before you eat, as well as ideally before you sleep and before you drive and if your blood sugar goes high or low, so 5 isn’t really enough) that would cost R450 for the month. It’s a big gap still… But the sensors let you test unlimited times a day and have 24 hour data – even while you sleep. They’re not really comparable.
Volume would make a big difference because the manufacturers would be forced to drop the price if we got real numbers of users…
Read your article in Maverick and about CMS rejection; that is possibly because the Section 47 complaint did not originate from a named medical aid member. Get a single member who has not received satisfaction from their medical aid to submit the complaint and CMS MUST deal with it (though be aware that CMS does tend to support medical aid companies even though the Medical Schemes Act 131 of 1998 directs that CMS “must protect the interests of members at all times”).
A personal submission must be answered by the medical aid within 30 days though CMS can take 4 months to complete the adjudication; if not satisfied after that you can go to a SAection 48 complaint (Appeal)
Thanks for this, Brian! I think we submitted under my name, but on behalf of the community – let me follow up with our lawyer now. Thank you!
Hi Bridget i just watched Carte Blanche and saw this glucose monitor. For my 60 Birthday in 2020 i was diagnosed as a type 1 Diabetic. No family history. I have done Half Ironman and won SA Champs for 21km in 2016. I am struggling to run. If i start a race my glucose level is 7 and after 10km race it is 28. I then take 10 points of insulin to bring it back down straight after i finish.
I am on Medi help medical aid. This monitor would allow me to do Ironman again which id like to try but at moment im just struggling to build my running back to decent times. How can i go about getting the monitor. Also if u are in contact with anyone whose glucose levels go up when exercising i would love to get help from them. Everyone i know their levels go down.
Thanks Janette
Hi Janette!
Oh my goodness, how frustrating that must be! I know that high intensity exercise often leads to glucose spikes – if you email me on hello @ sweetlife.org.za (without the spaces) I’ll intro you to someone else with Type 1 who does ultra-marathons and might have some tips. You should be able to motivate for CGM with Medihelp using this advice: https://www.fingerstickfree.org/medical-aid-cover
Good luck!
The Grief Handbook came to me s when I couldn’t have needed it more and it is one of the most effective tools that is helping me navigate the grief of losing my dear mom/ best friend. Not only is the book an amazing and helpful tool,, your particularly story of your Mum – from the closeness to the way they passed – is so much like Kobe I feel as if I’m re reading my journal at times, and it makes me feel less alone in this heartbreaking, gut-wrenching loss. Thank you. For this Handbook and everything g else you do!
With Hope,
Michelle
Oh Michelle, what a beautiful message… Thank you. I’m so sorry you resonate so strongly, and that you lost your precious mom/best friend. It is the worst.
Sending you so much love and strength to navigate these hard days xxx
Thank you. I know you “get it”’ .
Thank you 🙏