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Georgia McCarron speaks with the quiet authority of someone who is a natural leader.

The 1.83cm athlete and university student was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes after contracting chicken pox just before her second birthday. Now 22, Georgia and her Northside Wizards women鈥檚 basketball team have just won the South Brisbane League Grand Final, and this captain of her team is proud of it.

鈥淢um, dad and my two brothers played basketball. I鈥檝e always looked up to them so that was the sport I wanted to play too,鈥� she said.

鈥淭his was my second year competing with the Northside Wizards. We fell short by a few points in the Grand Final last year. This fueled my motivation to finish with the gold this season. My team worked extremely hard, facing a lot of adversity and injuries, so I was very grateful to finish on such a positive result and remain in good health myself.鈥�

Georgia is a forward with the Wizards, and her dad, Don, is the coach. One of her brothers, Mitchell, plays professional basketball for Melbourne United and Curtis plays socially in the Northside Wizards senior men鈥檚 competition.

Her schedule is disciplined: Monday night is a club game, Tuesday and Thursday nights are training, Saturday or Sunday is a competition round game, and Georgia goes to the gym or practises shooting on her rest days.

She works as a team leader at Grill鈥檇 burger chain, and studies full time for her secondary school teaching degree. She hopes to teach Health/Physical Education and Science.

Application is one of Georgia鈥檚 strong points.

鈥淕eorgia is a great girl, a lovely person,鈥� Northside Wizards鈥� spokesperson, Michael Pitman, said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 not just an outstanding player in her own right, she coaches juniors and always has time for younger players.

鈥淚 admire her and the whole McCarron family.鈥�

Georgia said her determination to play basketball to the best of her ability has been helped by (CGM).

鈥淚 got Dexcom when I was 20 years old,鈥� Georgia said. It was soon after the government announced it would subsidise CGM for Australians under 21.

鈥淚t鈥檚 phenomenal, especially for playing sport.

鈥淚 always know what level I am and how I鈥檓 trending. It gives me peace of mind on the court.鈥�

Georgia said her manager keeps an eye on her phone to monitor her blood glucose levels (BGLs) while she鈥檚 playing, and she looks at the information as soon as she鈥檚 off the court.

She aims to inject her insulin three hours before a game, and routinely has a ham and salad sandwich and a banana before playing to ward off hypoglycaemia (dangerously low BGLs). She likes to be around 8mmol/L before she plays a game.

鈥淲hen I鈥檓 tired, especially if my legs are tired, I鈥檒l trend downwards. I know when I鈥檓 going too low. I feel shaky, have a slight vision loss, and feel lethargic.鈥�

Georgia is grateful her mum and dad has picked up the cost of her CGM, about $5,000 or so a year, since she turned 21 when the government subsidy stopped.

鈥淚 know it鈥檚 a lot of money and I鈥檒l take over the cost when I graduate from Uni,鈥� Georgia said. 鈥淭he difference it makes means it鈥檚 not negotiable. I want to live an active lifestyle and get all the health benefits that brings. CGM makes it easier to do that.鈥�

Georgia doesn鈥檛 remember meeting other basketball players with type 1 despite competing for 15 years or so. Her opponents sometimes ask about the BGL sensor she has tapped to her arm during games and she explains about her diabetes and that it reads her BGLs and sends the info to her phone.

鈥淚鈥檓 always upfront about my diabetes. I鈥檝e always told my managers, team mates and whoever is coaching me. I think because of me being open about it, I鈥檝e had a lot of support.鈥�

Georgia says she wants young players to develop the same passion she has for basketball, and enjoys being a coach and mentor.

鈥淪ometimes I wish I didn鈥檛 have to eat anything before I go to the gym, or that I could just wake up and work out like everyone else, but usually I just do what has to be done,鈥� Georgia said.

鈥淒iabetes doesn鈥檛 have to be something that stops you doing anything you want to do. Sometimes it鈥檚 so much harder to achieve daily goals, but accomplishing them knowing that you have battled through the ups and downs of diabetes every minute of the day is such a rewarding feeling.

鈥淚鈥檒l always find a way.鈥�