Tom Browne shares his experience with Type 1 Diabetes to help raise awareness of the disease

The Channel 7 footy reporter lost more than 20kg in a matter of weeks, revealing he was near death in an “awfully scary” health battle.

Tom Browne with his father Jeff Browne. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

Channel 7’s ace footy reporter Tom Browne is urging people to be vigilant of their health after discovering he was diabetic.

Browne was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of 32, eight years ago, after his health suddenly crumbled.

Tom Browne was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when he was 32.

“I was 88kg and in the space of about six or seven weeks I dropped to 67kg,” he said.

“By the time I went to the doctor, on the urging of a colleague at Channel 7 and his family, I was probably pretty close to dying.

“I could not focus, I could not drive, I did not have any energy, I was drinking copious amounts of water, and then supplementing that with sugary drinks to make myself feel better, it was a terrible, terrible cycle.

“I was diagnosed and went on to insulin and got healthy relatively quickly.”

Browne spoke about his experience with Type 1 Diabetes to help raise awareness of the disease during National Diabetes Week.

“I think a lot of people with it have a similar attitude to me and that is they just want to get on with life, but the reality is it is a serious illness, it is an international problem, it’s not brought about through a bad diet or any fault of your own, it is awfully scary when you’re diagnosed and it needs to be managed and dealt with,” he said.

“It is a low to medium profile disease that needs as much help and publicity that it can get.”

Browne said Type 1 Diabetes was not something that would hold people back from achieving their all.

“I think people should be inspired by the likes of (footballers) Paddy McCartin and Sam Reid; you should not let it hold you back,” he said.

“If you think you have symptoms don’t delay going to the doctor because it is treatable, it is manageable, but you need to know what you are managing.

“It should not hold you back from having a full life.”