Touring With Type 1 Diabetes

Touring with Type 1 diabetes adds another layer of planning to an already fairly complicated job.

When I head away for a tour, particularly for a month or more, I have to take pretty much everything I could possibly need with me. That means a month’s supply of insulin, needles and other consumables, along with plenty of spare FreeStyle Libre 2 Plus sensors. I always carry more than I expect to use — losing a sensor after two days isn’t quite as simple as popping home for another one when you’re on the other side of the world.

One of the biggest challenges is insulin storage. Insulin needs to be protected from excessive heat, which becomes particularly important when touring through warmer countries and spending days travelling between hotels, airports, venues and tour buses.

For longer tours I use a LifeinaBox portable medical fridge. Unlike a normal cool bag, it gives me proper temperature-controlled storage for my insulin while I’m travelling. I take the fridge, its power supplies and battery with me so that my insulin can remain protected while we’re moving between venues and countries.

My diabetes kit therefore ends up being almost as carefully planned as my work kit. Before leaving, I’ll work out roughly what I need for the entire trip and then add spares — extra insulin, extra Libre sensors and enough supplies to deal with something getting lost, damaged or failing unexpectedly.

The FreeStyle Libre 2 Plus is also a massive part of managing diabetes while touring. Working in live sound can mean very long and unpredictable days — load-ins, soundchecks, shows and load-outs don’t necessarily fit around normal meal times. Being able to see what my glucose is doing without stopping work makes a huge difference.

There’s also the travel itself. Flights, different time zones, irregular meals, overnight buses, long working days and constantly changing routines can all affect glucose levels. I’ve found that what works perfectly at home doesn’t necessarily behave exactly the same way on tour.

It certainly takes more preparation, but Type 1 diabetes hasn’t stopped me touring or doing the job I love. I’ve worked across the UK, Europe and Asia while carrying everything I need to manage it.

For me, the key is simply planning for the unexpected. If I think I’ll need four sensors, I’ll take more. If I need enough insulin for four weeks, I’ll carry a reserve. And anything essential stays with me rather than disappearing into a flight case or checked luggage.

Diabetes comes on tour too — it just gets its own packing list.