Thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak with clear voice as an everyday diabetic. As diabetics we must factor in the stresses and strains of everyday life with the fluctuations they cause to our condition. My core belief is that the Diabetes Industry has yet to fully come to terms with this (us), continuing to treat lightly the impact day-to-day living has on our health, and health has on our quality of life; overlooking the diabetic in the treatment of diabetes. "Hey, that same thing happened to me and look out for this or don't feel bad about that. I've been through this already and it got me too but look on it like this and it's not so bad plus you can avoid it happening again in the future by - " Taken from 'A book I wish someone had written' In essence, someone who understands my on-going needs; my potential and future difficulties, someone who has been around the block a few times who can advise or at least reminisce on the professional, social and personal challenges to be overcome should I wish to continue with any resemblance of normal life - more than that, an idyllic life. A friend who can talk me through getting over the worst of it - or at least getting on top of it, even if it may already be too late for them. And with that (and you) in mind I have written 'Persona non grata with diabetes,' a lowbrow walkthrough of real life with diabetes, hoping that from within these shared pages we are able to draw parallels and exchange in lifetime experience, exemplified throughout in life defining moments. None of which stray too far, if at all, from a life with diabetes but all of which touch on this condition in one way or another; offering comfort in the knowledge that what we are going through both physically and emotionally is shared by us all. Paul Cathcart - Diagnosed, class of 1993 http://www.pngwd.com/preface.html

"Through the course of ten years in the publishing industry, it is rare to pick up a manuscript that one can instantly relate to while yearning for more and Paul Cathcart has accomplished this feat in Persona non grata with Diabetes. Whether you suffer from the consequences of diabetes or enjoy reading, this self portrait will engulf and consume you as this writer expounds on a life complicated with diabetes along with the trials and tribulations of everyday life while facing his disease. A real day to day view of a diabetic's real world life from Paul's personal perspective sheds light in this must read narrative. This book is not only for diabetics but for the whole world. A true must read." Derek Raulerson, 22 October 2013 "Cathcart's 'Persona non grata with diabetes' is an engrossing and hard-hitting honest account of life as a diabetic, aiming - as the author himself asserts - to cut out the impersonal medical spiel and confront the everyday truths of it all head-on. Cathcart writes his memoirs with a compellingly blunt hand, and every frustration, every fear is palpable in a way that makes this book a truly sympathetic and invaluable read for fellow sufferers seeking the show of solidarity that the author so determinedly sets out to deliver. This is a brilliantly written and deeply insightful look at life as a diabetic from a candid first hand source." Board of Editors, 'Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd' Best diabetic read ever Finally a book about being diabetic that isn't patronising, doesn't moralise and tells it like it is. I read this book in one go. I shared so many feelings, experiences and opinions of being a type 1 D I went through the whole spectrum of emotions as I read it. I recognised my own denial and anger and my own breakthrough to acceptance when meeting the right team. This should be compulsory reading for all diabetic consultants and diabetes specialist nurses. We could probably all write our own versions of this book, they would probably all be equally as powerful but I thank Paul for having the courage to actually do it. Definitely the best diabetic read ever. CJ, 14 August 2013. http://www.pngwd.com/readerreviews.html

What kind of persona dedicates their life to understanding and sharing the emotions of diabetes? An everyday diabetic of 21 years experience; Cathcart has come to understand his diabetes as a state-of-being rather than its medical definition. His core belief, 'that only through a rightful understanding can we accept a just responsibility to our shared condition.' http://www.pngwd.com/pngwd.html.