Diabetic beauty queen inspires thousands to show off insulin pumps

A diabetic beauty queen in America has become an inspiration for people living with type 1 diabetes after facing her fear of proudly showing off her insulin pump at a beauty pageant.
Thousands of people with type 1 diabetes worldwide have been posting pictures of themselves wearing their insulin pump, with the #showmeyourpump, in support of Sierra Sandison who won the Miss Idaho 2014 competition after walking out on stage with a pump hitched to the waist of her bikini.
Fans took to the internet to ask her to share the no-famous swimsuit picture online, and the 20 year-old responded by posting it on her Facebook page.
After receiving thousands of ‘likes’ and ‘shares’, Sierra created her own Twitter campaign – #showmeyourpump – as a way for others to share their support and gain confidence. She said the response has left her overwhelmed, with social media sites being flooded with proud pump-displaying photos from diabetic users.
“I would never have dreamt of posting a swimsuit picture on social media, but diabetics from all over the country have been asking to see me and my insulin pump on the Miss Idaho stage,” Sierra said. “Honestly, it is terrifying walking out on stage in a swimsuit, let alone attached to a medical device.
The Idaho beauty queen admitted that her life was turned “upside down” when she was first diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in February 2012.
“For a while, I pretended that I didn’t have diabetes, hoping it would go away. That led to crazy blood sugars, of course, and a very sick, grumpy, and discouraged Sierra.”
But after discovering that Miss America winner Nicole Johnson was a diabetic who wore – albeit discreetly – an insulin pump, she decided to go one step further by entering the Miss Idaho contest with her pump clearly on display.
“My message to everyone, diabetic or not, is that we all have something that doesn’t “measure up” to the beauty standards set by the media and that is okay! It does not make you any less beautiful. We also all have obstacles, challenges, and trials,” she wrote on her Twitter account.
“Don’t let your challenge hold you back or slow you down. Use it to, not only empower yourself and grow as an individual, but to serve and influence other people as well.”