Movers & Shakers

Meet Cristina Petrut, new IDF Europe Board Member from Romania

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Published on Friday, 18 December 2015 08:08

I am Cristina Maria Petrut, from Cluj-Napoca, Romania. I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 11, and I am now 25. In 2014 I obtained a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology, Psychological Counseling and Psychotherapy from the Babes Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca. Since then, I work in my private practice as a Clinical Psychologist and Psychotherapist.

I have a natural interest in diabetes, and decided to focus on the psychology aspect of the disease. In my practice I work mostly with people with diabetes and/or their families. I help them accept their medical condition, cope with it, improve their management of the disease; I also help my patients with burnout, depression, anxiety, phobias and other problems related or not with diabetes.

As President of a local diabetes organization I also coach and carry out educational activities with people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and train expert patients. My work is guided by the quote “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…it’s about learning to dance in the rain.” 

I previously worked together with the Romanian Federation of Diabetes Associations and the Romanian Federation of Diabetes, Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases presenting educational sessions for people with diabetes, coordinating a group of young people with diabetes in a diabetes national camp, 

coordinating the Romanian Futsal Team of people with diabetes, coordinating the European Futsal Championship for People with Diabetes DiaEuro 2015, organizing the National Forum for people with Diabetes in 2015, organizing screening for diabetes, attending at the National Diabetes Congresses and attending twice the Young Leaders in Diabetes Training Program.

I wanted to be an IDFE Board member because my biggest passion is to empower people with diabetes, to help them cope with their disease, to help them realize that they can do anything and that they can achieve all their dreams regardless their medical condition. I want to connect people with diabetes to build strong communities in Europe in order to support each other and solve as many problems as possible, with a shared vision, mission and purpose.

I hopefully bring to IDFE new perspectives, ideas, contacts with many young leaders with diabetes from Europe; most importantly, I bring my commitment and passion to fight for a better world for people with diabetes. Although my hands-on experience is short, I will put at the disposal of IDFE everything I learned during the Young Leaders in Diabetes training program, as a coordinator of DiaEuro 2015 Futsal Championship, as President of a local diabetes association, as a Board member of the Romanian Federation of Diabetes Associations, as a person living with type 1 diabetes, as an advocate and as a practitioner working with young people with diabetes and their families and with people with type 2 diabetes.

IDF Europe is a powerful community with a strong mission and vision. In the future, I see IDFE even stronger, with improved communication and collaboration between its Members, and common projects. I see IDFE as a community of European diabetes organizations fighting for people with diabetes across Europe, regardless of age and type of diabetes. I see it as an advocate for prevention, education, empowerment, integration in the social and professional environment, and as an advocate against discrimination. I see it as a strong, united and respected voice in any matter regarding diabetes in Europe.