Hidden behind Police and Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend’s watch strap is a clue about a condition that has had a profound impact on her life since her diagnosis at 9 years old.
It’s a tattoo on her wrist that says ‘diabetic’ – and it’s there in case her blood sugar drops or rises to dangerous levels, rendering her confused, disorientated and potentially unable to take care of herself.
Type 1 diabetics
Most of us produce the hormone insulin, which allows the food we eat to be used for energy, while maintaining a healthy blood sugar level, but for type 1 diabetics the pancreas doesn’t produce any insulin. This means that their blood sugar can rise to severely high levels. A diabetic’s blood sugar levels can also fall dangerously low and the term ‘hypoglycaemia’ is used to describe this condition. When this happens, a diabetic can become dizzy, start to shake, feel weak and tired – this is commonly known as a ‘hypo’.
At its worst, a diabetic emergency can lead to breathing difficulties, unconsciousness and even coma and death. Most type 1 diabetics are diagnosed with the life-long, autoimmune condition as children or teenagers, but it can be diagnosed at any age. The only treatment is to replace the insulin in the body that it’s unable to produce via multiple daily injections, or an insulin pump.
Many of us will be familiar with the more common type 2 diabetes, which accounts for over 90% of all diabetics and is typically diagnosed later in life. It is often able to be managed by diet alone, or diet and tablets but in some cases will also require injections.
‘Strike out stigma’ campaign
To mark Diabetes Week 2026 and the ‘Strike Out Stigma’ campaign, the Commissioner wanted to share a story to raise awareness of the condition and support the 80% of diabetics who say that they regularly face negative attitudes from people passing judgement or blaming and shaming those living with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
‘Intoxicated driver’
One Saturday night last December, Lisa was on shift with Sergeant Phil Dix from Surrey Police’s Roads Policing Unit when a call came through about an ‘intoxicated driver’ on the M3 near Esher. As they raced to the scene, another call came through to confirm that rather than being drunk, the driver appeared to have suffered a medical incident – possibly as a result of their diabetes. Sgt Dix was able to let teams at the scene know that the Commissioner who has first-hand knowledge of this type of medical emergency was moments away.
Lisa spent time with the driver who was lethargic, confused and barely able to lift their head – all the signs of a diabetic in a low sugar state or ‘hypo’ – and sadly easy to mistake for intoxication. The driver had little idea of where he was and what was going on. He slowly remembered his mobile phone password and an app monitoring their blood sugar confirmed dangerously low levels.
With an ambulance more than an hour away, Lisa was able to share some of her dextrose gummy sweets that she always carries to deliver sugar directly into his system and bring blood sugars back up to a safe level. The impact of the sweets was rapid and within 15 minutes, the driver was almost recovered. The driver was a type 1 diabetic. Feeling shaken and delicate, officers drove him safely home.
‘Right place at the right time’
Lisa said: “Having a hypo is frightening. While it may appear that you’re drunk, perhaps slurring slightly or shaking, it certainly doesn’t feel that way.
“I was so pleased to have been able to help that driver in need and be in the right place at the right time.
“Having diabetes can still catch me off guard. I could do exactly the same thing for seven days in a row, and on the seventh day, for seemingly no reason at all, I can have a hypo.
“Advances in medicine have made life easier for diabetics. However, I support this year’s campaign to cut the stigma of diabetes by raising awareness to a condition that can prompt negative judgements and commentary.”
Essential advice
Diabetes UK has some essential advice for diabetic drivers, and you can find out everything you need to know here. They also have a handy ‘hypo’ checklist for motorists. For Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, the advice is:
- Stay safe by taking breaks
- Know the symptoms of a ‘hypo’ and keep treatments where they can easily be reached in the car.
- Check blood glucose levels before setting off and every two hours on long journeys and ensure that blood sugar levels are at 5mmol/l or above before driving.
- Eat some carbohydrates if blood sugar levels drop below 5mmol/l.
- If you start to have a hypo while driving, find somewhere safe to stop immediately, switch off the engine, and take fast-acting carbs. Don’t drive again for 45 minutes after your blood sugar has gone back to normal.