Susanne Wanzer is not letting chronic kidney disease (CKD) slow her down. The 61 year old is in the best shape of her life after being diagnosed with CKD nearly 30 years ago. She says she learned at an early age that a chronic illness did not have to sideline her.

Doctors diagnosed Susanne with type 1 diabetes in 1959. She was 13 years old. At the time, doctors knew very little about the disease. Today, diabetes is a growing epidemic. It is estimated diabetes affects 20 million Americans. That’s seven percent of the population and many people do not even know they have it. Diabetes is also one of the leading causes of kidney disease. According to the American Diabetes Association, in type 1 diabetes the body does not produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar (glucose), starches and other food into energy needed for daily life.

Susanne says she does remember feeling confused and frightened when she was first diagnosed, but those feelings did not last. “I was just too young to think about any illness. Like any kid, I was just too busy.”

And coming from a family of six children, Susanne says her parents did not have time to dote on her. But her parents did teach her the importance of taking care of her body at an early age. Susanne’s grandfather was a doctor and her mother was a nurse. At the age of 15, she knew how to give herself insulin shots and she learned what she could and could not eat.

Susanne knew she wanted to be a mother, but was not sure how her diabetes would affect her pregnancy. It ended up being a real challenge for her and her family. Forty years ago, doctors knew very little about taking care of diabetic mothers-to-be. Both her daughters were delivered in her eighth month of pregnancy and suffered a number of complications. Fortunately, both girls are now healthy adult women with children of their own. There are no signs of diabetes or kidney disease for her children or grandchildren. Susanne encourages her daughters to see their doctors regularly. Susanne’s pregnancy did however do further damage to her kidneys.

Susanne worked as a mail carrier for several years before her health started to decline. She says she loved the job. “It was my daily work out!” In 2003, the diabetes took a toll on her eyes. Her vision began to deteriorate. She says she was forced to take disability retirement. “I thought it was the beginning of the end. I started not to feel well.” She would later realize that her forced retirement would be a blessing in disguise.

Susanne says after leaving the postal service, her kidneys began to fail. She wanted to feel healthy again so she joined Curves, a gym for women, in her hometown of Warrenton, VA. “I knew I needed to exercise,” says Susanne. “I had read several articles about the benefits of exercise. I loved it. I was 57 years old and had never felt better.”

She later began volunteering at the gym, mentoring other women about the benefits of exercise and a sensible diet. According to Susanne, “Our bodies need to exercise. My advice to all women is to know your body. Know how to identify health issues your body is facing and get help when needed.”

Her volunteer work led to a job offer. “Working at Curves has been a blessing to me.” She credits her work and exercise program with saving her life. Her kidneys are now holding steady at 35 percent function which is a nice surprise to both Susanne and her doctors.

“When I was in my 30s, I actually thought I probably would not live beyond 40, maybe 45,” says Susanne. “But now I feel better than I have in years.” Susanne believes diabetes is a manageable disease if patients take the appropriate steps to keep it under control. That includes, eating properly, exercising, seeing your doctor regularly and keeping a positive attitude. “When you smile, even when you don’t feel like it, most people will smile back at you. Before you know it, your whole day will look better.”

“For me, my diabetes and CKD is, as they say, a ‘walk in the park’ because I refuse to let it be a burden.”

JeromeA. Bailey is the Communications Manager for the American Association of Kidney Patients.