Ireland and Everton centre-back Jake O'Brien has revealed how a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes inspired him to become a professional footballer.
The Cork native broke onto the scene at Lyon and has since made the move to Everton in the Premier League. He is now in the Ireland squad for the Nations League games against Finland and England.
The 6'6" centre-back's career is one that few have experienced and many dream of, but in his earlier years, he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. O'Brien explained in a post on social media how he found out he had diabetes and how it helped him become stronger and fitter as a result.
"I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when I was 16. I think it was just a few weeks around March when I started feeling ill. I was losing a lot of weight, feeling very tired, and drinking maybe 8–9 litres of water a day. I quickly realised something wasn’t right. I went to the doctor, and they sent me to the hospital, where I was diagnosed. My pancreas basically doesn’t work; it doesn’t produce insulin, so it’s a genetic condition, I suppose," said O'Brien on Everton's X account for #WorldDiabetesDay.
"In that sense, no one in my family has ever had it, so I’m probably the first one to get it. It’s not the most positive thing, but for me, I think it was a positive experience. Since being diagnosed at 16, things started to click for me. I got physically bigger and fitter, and I think having diabetes has actually helped me progress through the ranks in football more quickly.
"It’s been a positive thing for me. Some people overcomplicate it, thinking you can't eat this or that, but you can eat everything, and you can do everything anyone else can. It’s just about counting the carbohydrates in the food I eat, and based on that, I inject insulin into my body. My body is supposed to do this naturally, but for me, I have to calculate it, which isn’t always perfect and can be time-consuming, but you get used to it."
"I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when I was 16.
"I was ill, losing a lot of weight, very tired and drinking 8-9 litres of water a day. I realised something wasn't right."
On #WorldDiabetesDay, Jake O'Brien shares his story... 💙 pic.twitter.com/JJeGGuG4Zj
— Everton (@Everton) November 14, 2024
O'Brien has also revealed that he now has a plan to deal with the issue and added that a few, but not many, players have diabetes in the Premier League. He then explained the positives and negatives of living with diabetes.
"I do a lot of it by myself; I like to manage it independently. However, I know that support is always available if I need help. I didn’t have diabetes before, but it’s not something you can get rid of once you have it. There are a few players, though not many, who have come out about having it. I don’t think anyone in the Premier League has it, so I could be the first or one of the first in a while,"he added.
"It’s rare in that sense, which makes it cool, I suppose. But I think more people will start developing it, and more will likely come forward about it. When people are first diagnosed, it can feel overwhelming, and they may think they can’t do certain things. But you can do anything other players do. You just have to look after your body more. In a sense, you become more in tune with your body and how different things affect it, so it’s good in that way.
"I suppose the worst part is that it’s time-consuming, but it’s not bad at all. You get used to it, and you can do anything any other player can do."
Ireland's game against Finland takes place at 7:45 pm tonight.
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