“My mum had noticed that I’d become very pale and thin. I’d been drinking loads of water and going to the toilet a lot. The doctor told us that if we’d waited a couple more days, I could have gone into a coma. It was very scary.”
That’s how Sheku Kanneh-Mason found out he had Type 1 diabetes. He was 12 years old. Today he’s an award-winning cellist and Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) who gained international fame when he played at Harry and Meghan’s wedding. He’s also a global ambassador for JDRF, the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. And his newest release, Song, is our CD Spotlight.
A diabetes diagnosis is a life-altering event, changing everything you do, from the food you eat to the hours you sleep. And Kanneh-Mason took on the challenge: “At first, I worried diabetes would stop me doing what I wanted in life — my main concern being whether I’d still be able to play football. Thankfully, I’ve never felt it’s held me back.”
Since that medical finding, Kanneh-Mason graduated from the Royal Academy of Music and released a string of best-selling CDs with family and friends. In short, he’s become an international star, with Song as the latest of his many successes. It is a sparkling CD, filled with pieces ranging from folk to classical, with a dash of pop thrown in to add a little zing, all tied together by the sweet sound of his cello, the inspiration for the title.
“I’ve learned.” Says Kanneh-Mason, “that you never know what can happen in life. But you can surround yourself with people you trust; family and friends. They make all the difference.” Just as Sheku Kanneh-Mason himself strives to make a difference in the lives of those with Type 1 Diabetes.
