I am 25 years old and I met a girl who has type 1 diabetes. Now I wish to marry her. My parents don’t want me to. Is there any problem in marrying her? What about the future life?

It can certainly be a bit frightening to make a life-long commitment to someone with a chronic illness. Diabetes can, at times, lead to long-term health problems, but we now know that many people can live very healthy, very long lives with diabetes. There are a number of very important thing you can do for the woman you love to help her remain healthy.

First, learn as much as you can about type 1 diabetes, and about her daily regimen. Help her find the very best diabetes team near your home and be sure she is seeing them at least three times per year. Offer her your support and ask her what things you can do to help her care for her diabetes on a daily basis. Finally, attend her diabetes clinic appointments with her, both to show her your support, and to show her medical team that the two of you are partners in her diabetes care.

JWB