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Home › Mom of the Month

Nicole Johnson

By Melinda Copp

Each month, iParenting.com spotlights a mother who inspires and moves us, who embodies the qualities that we all admire in a person, a woman and a mother. Above all, the Mom of the Month is dedicated to her children. Rich or poor, famous or not, she shines as an example of what mothering is all about.

When Nicole Johnson was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at age 19, she was told that she couldn't compete in beauty pageants, she couldn't complete her journalism degree and she would never be able to have children. Her doctors said that her body just couldn't handle the stress of these pursuits.

"I was just starting my sophomore year when I was diagnosed, and I had no family history," Johnson says. "It hit me and my family like a ton of bricks."

Just as Johnson was finding her independence in college, she was told that she would have to move back home and be dependent on insulin for the rest of her life. But Johnson didn't let her diagnosis stop her from pursuing her dreams. In fact, she has made it her goal to maintain control of her disease and to help other people with diabetes do the same.

What Is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a condition that affects the way your body processes sugar and carbohydrates. According to the American Diabetes Association, Type 1 diabetes develops when the immune system destroys the cells responsible for making insulin, the hormone that regulates blood glucose levels. People with type 1 diabetes are usually diagnosed in childhood, but it can show up at any time. And like Johnson, Type 1 diabetics rely on insulin, delivered either by injection or pump, to survive. Type 1 diabetes is usually caused by genetics and it accounts for 5 to 10 percent of all diabetes cases.

The other 90 to 95 percent of cases are type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes starts when the cells stop using insulin properly and is often associated with old age, obesity, physical inactivity and race. African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic Americans and some Asian Americans are at a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

Overcoming Diabetes

By closely monitoring her blood sugars and keeping herself as healthy as possible, Johnson was able to reenroll in college and complete her degree. She even went on to earn a master's degree in journalism. Johnson also continued competing in pageants in the Miss America program. And in 1999 she was crowned Miss America, an honor that most women will never achieve, diabetes or not. Then finally, in January 2006, Johnson fulfilled her lifelong dream of becoming a mother when her daughter, Ava, was born.

"I've proven every one of those 'nevers' wrong," says Johnson, who credits her success to her stubbornness and inability to take no for an answer. "I can accomplish as much as I want in life as long as I keep my diabetes in control." Johnson keeps her blood sugar in check by wearing an insulin pump that delivers the exact amount of insulin that she needs throughout the day, and this kept her healthy enough to have her baby.

"My pregnancy was unbelievable," Johnson says. "My daughter is amazing to me because she's a child I was told I could never have."

Pregnancy is risky for diabetics because if the condition is not well controlled before conception and during the first trimester, birth defects can result. And uncontrolled diabetes in the second and third trimesters can result in having a larger than normal baby, which complicates delivery for the mother and baby. Johnson's healthy pregnancy gave her the opportunity to participate in a study on pregnant women with diabetes that may help other women with the disease.

"Even before she was born, we were together being a part of the solution to diabetes," Johnson says.

Aside from being a mom, Johnson works as a diabetes advocate and consultant. She is an advocate for medical technology and is part of the Advanced Medical Technology Association's Progress You Can See Campaign, highlighting the value of products like insulin pumps in helping people get their lives back. She travels extensively, with 10-month-old Ava in tow, to promote awareness, prevention and early detection of the condition. She lobbies lawmakers at the state and federal levels on diabetes-related issues. Johnson regularly writes about diabetes, and she wrote her autobiography, Living with Diabetes (Lifeline Press, 2001), which talks about her diagnosis and her experiences as Miss America 1999. She also co-hosts a weekly television show on CNBC called dLife.

Wearing the Crown of Just Mom

Like every mom, Johnson enjoys the little things that make babies so wonderful. "I love watching her learn and giggle and laugh," Johnson says. "And I love the look of determination she gets when she's trying to figure something out. I wonder where this is going to lead her in life." But just because Johnson is a former Miss America doesn't mean she escapes the unglamorous challenges of being a working mom, like finding good childcare.

"My biggest parenting challenges are just being a working mom and making sure I spend enough time with Ava," Johnson says. "And finding good, reliable childcare is challenging, especially when I'm on the road."

Being a parent with diabetes has a whole new world of challenges, Johnson says. "It's little things, like my insulin pump and glucose sensor that I wear all the time," she says. "My daughter thinks they're toys for her to play with."

Since her diagnosis, Johnson has worked hard to overcome the limitations of diabetes by taking good care of herself and keeping her condition under control. And she works hard to share this message with diabetes sufferers around the world.

"The health care professionals are right; you can't do things when you don't have control of your blood sugar and your health," Johnson. "But when you have control and take care of yourself, a whole world opens up to you."



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