November is Diabetes Awareness Month and what better way to draw attention to the disease than with blue hair!
USF College of Public Health graduate student Matt Allman did just that this month when he sported bright blue locks for the month’s cause.
A 22-year-old MPH student, Allman has been living with type 1 diabetes for 12 years. He was first diagnosed at the age of 10.
Still, Allman would not change his life journey of being diagnosed with diabetes at such a young age.
With regard to dying his hair a striking shade of blue, his goal is simple—“to get as many people to stop and ask me about it, so I can talk to them about diabetes and dispel some of the many myths and misconceptions that surround type 1 diabetes,” Allman said.
For starters, he takes issue with how diabetes is portrayed in the media.
Allman found that public perceptions often lump all diabetics into the type 2 category.
Diabetics experience highs and lows as their blood sugar levels fluctuate. However, Allman has come to appreciate a different type of high and low not often attributed to the disease.
“Other lows would be fighting with my insurance company in trying to get my diabetes supplies and insulin covered. Living diabetes is very expensive,” Allman said.
In contrast, the highs include life lessons that most children and adults would benefit from learning.
“Diabetes has taught me to be self-sufficient, to time-manage, and to always be prepared for any potential situation that may come up. Having diabetes has taught me to appreciate the good times and to work through the bad times,” he said.
A two time Bull, Allman earned a bachelor’s degree in public health with a minor in infection control. In August, he began the MPH program with a dual concentration of epidemiology and global communicable diseases. His dream job since high school is to practice his passion with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as an outbreak investigator.
When he’s not studying, Allman enjoys cooking and traveling. Plus, he’s an active member of several campus organizations, including Students with Diabetes.