Mike Flack from Grand Marais found out when he was just 12 years old that he had Type 1 Diabetes. From that day on, he has monitored and managed his blood sugar, glucose, and insulin levels daily. He received an insulin pump in 2001 and wears it with a glucose monitor all the time.
You may have seen him in action at The Cook County Home Center. He’s a gregarious customer service person who bends over backward for customers. Before joining the Home Center, he was an EMT at North Shore Health for 25 years and 18 years as a volunteer firefighter for the Grand Marais Fire Dept. Before that, he was on the Cook County Search and Rescue team. He’s an inspiration to others with both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
Carole Flack, Mike’s wife and proud supporter, said, “It’s been Mike’s dream for a long time to have a safe space in Cook County where people touched by diabetes could meet and support each other.”
Last fall, Mike and Carole, Steve and Kay Borud, another couple with Type 1 diabetes in the family, formed the Northland Diabetes Support Group. It meets the first Tuesday of every month at the Cook County Higher Education Center, Room 214, 300 West 3rd Street, Grand Marais, at 5:30 p.m.
Mike reached out to the Minnesota chapter of Breakthrough T1D. This 55-year-old organization seeks to find a cure for Type 1 and provide support for individuals and families living with this insidious condition to obtain resources for the local group. Breakthrough T1D has provided funding for meeting room rent and other resources. They’ve also offered to coordinate speakers who would make presentations via Zoom using the technology the Education Center has on hand.
The first meeting was held in November. Because of the holidays, they skipped December. They have had one meeting each in January and February. Attendance has been a handful or two, but Mike hopes to see faster growth. Each meeting focuses on a practical issue that those with diabetes face daily, along with time for good conversation and identifying topics for future gatherings.
Living with diabetes is challenging. It requires constant attention to diet, exercise, and medication management while also navigating emotional and social hurdles. This is where diabetes support groups can be invaluable. They are gatherings of individuals living with diabetes, and these groups provide a safe and supportive environment for members to connect with others who understand the daily challenges of living with diabetes.
Mike said the Northland Diabetes Support Group provides attendees with valuable insights and practical tips from others with diabetes. It is focused on all people affected by Type 1, Type 2, and early onset diabetes and those in their circle of friends and family.
An estimated ten percent of Americans have diabetes, and somewhere over 90% of those are Type 2. Mike doesn’t know how many people in Cook County have diabetes, but if those percentages hold here, the number must be close to 500. He dreams of expanding the support group efforts to the Grand Portage community, the west end of Cook County, and even into Silver Bay.
His energetic personality and soft-hearted approach to other people will help him realize his dreams.
For more information, contact Mike at 218-370-0789 or attend the next meeting on Tuesday, March 4th, at 5:30 p.m. at the Community Higher Education building in Grand Marais. Tell Mike you read about him here.
