Millions of Americans live with diabetes, and Miss America is no exception.  Nicole Johnson Baker, lobbyist and Miss America 1999, spoke Wednesday, Feb. 27 in the UC Shiloh Room about her experience with diabetes and what she is doing to fight it.  The free event was sponsored by the Diabetes Advocacy Board and Abbott Diabetes Care.

Nicole Johnson Baker was crowned Miss America in 1999, six years after she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 19 years old.  Type 1 diabetes exists in five percent of 24 million Americans today, according to Johnson.

"I heard everything I could not do as a human being," Johnson said of the diagnosis.  Johnson was told she could no longer participate in pageants, attend college or bear children later in life.

When Johnson stumbled upon a quote by Eleanor Roosevelt two months later, determination set in to prove the doctors wrong.  Johnson went back to college, earning her bachelor's degree in English.  Later, she continued to earn her master's degree in journalism.

"They said I'd never be Miss America," Johnson said as she pulled out her crown from the wooden box containing it.  The crown was missing stones, was tarnished and a piece had broken off of it.  None of that mattered to Johnson, because the memories it represented were more important to her.

Three years ago, "the last never that never began" happened to Johnson.  Her blood sugar levels were not stable, and Johnson had to take a pregnancy test.  Six tests later, she accepted the fact that she was pregnant.  Johnson was told, "that would be disastrous" by doctors, however it proved to be more beneficial than detrimental.

Because of her pregnancy, her body began to make insulin naturally.  Johnson was one in 20 percent of women who are capable of producing insulin during pregnancy.

Johnson participated in clinical research by donating her blood so more knowledge of diabetes and a permanent cure can be found in the future.

"Don't lose hope, because better things happen in the future," Johnson said. Don't lose hope, because better things happen in the future. Nicole Johnson, Miss America 1999

Johnson believes every American has diabetes.  Those not diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes has what Johnson calls "type 3."  According to Johnson, type 3 diabetes is someone who loves and cares for someone diagnosed with type 1 or 2 diabetes she said.

Johnson continued to explain the triangle of care for someone suffering from diabetes.  Three areas of care mentioned were the emotional, psychological and physical aspects.

"I would not be here today if it wasn't for those type 3's - my mom and my dad," Johnson said of her family's support.  "My daughter's only two, but she understands," she said.

Johnson also told stories from her pageantry days, bringing laughter and smiles into the room.
During the 1999 Miss America pageant, Johnson wore her insulin pump for every competition, except swimsuit, concealing it in creative ways involving panty hose.

Johnson closed with a poem titled "The Beast Within" written by a nine year-old with diabetes and her mother.
Johnson is a lobbyist in Washington, DC and co-host of dLife, an Emmy-winning television program on CNBC dedicated to everything diabetes.  Johnson also published three cookbooks, as well as her autobiography "Living With Diabetes."  She earned a master's degree in journalism from Regent University in 1998.