Part memoir, part sports adventure, Not Dead Yet tells the inspirational story of Phil Southerland's battle with Type 1 diabetes and how from diagnosis to sheer determination, Phil Southerland beat all odds and turned his diagnosis and his passion for cycling into a platform.ÿ From leading a Race Across America to now managing a world-class cycling program, his journey on and off the bike is changing the way the world views diabetes.
ÿÿÿÿÿÿ ÿÿÿÿÿWhen Phil Southerland was seven-months-old, he lost ten pounds in a week, his body was limp and his breathing slowed to what his mother called a "death rattle." Rushing him to the ER, she was informed that tiny Phil displayed the youngest case of diabetes on record in the world at that time.
Blindness, kidney failure and death were all predicted for him by age twenty-five. Twenty-nine years later, not only is Phil alive and well but as the founder of Team Type 1, he and his team of championship cyclists - many of them diabetics-have become health and fitness role models for people the world over.
Together, they have taken on some of the most challenging endurance events in the world, including winning the Race Across America-a grueling 3,000-mile endurance competition-twice. Today, Phil continues to lead Team Type 1 as its professional cycling team, among one of the top 30 teams in the world, races toward an invite to the world's top cycling event, the Tour de France in 2012.ÿ Leading the pack is a serious challenge for any athlete, but for Phil and his teammates, it presents two daily battles: one to stay in razor-sharp race-fit condition, the other, to stay alive.ÿ
Not Dead Yet is Phil's powerful story: his account of his relationship with his mother, and how she struggled to keep him alive; growing up quickly in the New-Old South of the 1990s, learning at the tender age of 6 years old how to check his glucose and give himself injections; of how he fulfilled his dream of becoming a professional athlete using his team and the bike as a platform, inspiring thousands of individuals and families around the world who are battling diabetes to not just chase, but catch, their dreams.
Industry Reviews
This book is a must read for all of us with type 1 diabetes and for our support team of family and friends as well. Phil Southerland's account of his battle with diabetes and triumph over it seeks to and succeeds at being an educational and inspirational guide for reaching the full potential that exists in all of us.--Showbusiness legend and New York Times bestselling author of Growing Up Again Mary Tyler Moore "Phil Southerland's autobiography is an inspirational coming-of-age memoir about a type 1 baby who wasn't supposed to live... It's an engrossing book, a sports adventure story with a medical subplot and a roster of dynamic characters, the most dynamic of whom is Phil himself. If we could harness his energy, our dependence on foreign oil would be a thing of the past... It's not only a memoir of diabetes and an inside look at the world of professional bike racing, but also a story of tigerish determination and the utter resolve to never give up, to win against all odds." --Diabetes Health
"This book is a must read for all of us with type 1 diabetes and for our support team of family and friends as well. Phil Southerland's account of his battle with diabetes and triumph over it seeks to and succeeds at being an educational and inspirational guide for reaching the full potential that exists in all of us." --Showbusiness legend and New York Times bestselling author of Growing Up Again Mary Tyler Moore
"Phil's story reinforces my belief that parenting diabetic kids isn't about numbers. It is about the values that make for creative, active, useful, participant [sic] in life.... One of my favorite lines from the book anticipates being less than perfect. It is brilliant, sage and simple advice, "A key part of being a diabetic is choosing trustworthy friends, reliable friends that you can depend on in a crisis." I submit that is equally true if you take out 'being a diabetic' and insert 'life' but possibly more true for diabetics. I think that a similar substitution is true of the book as a whole. It isn't about diabetes it is about life. As such Not Dead Yet is great read for anyone whether they live with diabetes or not.... A great ride. I recommend it highly." --www.ydmv.net
"Not Dead Yet is an uplifting and incredibly true adventure of a young man who beats the odds. Phil Southerland is an inspiration to those who live and struggle with diabetes as well as any individual who faces seemingly unsurmountable challenges." --Steve Edelman, MD, University of California-San Diego, Founder and Director of Taking Control of Your Diabetes
"A very good read." --kellywpa.wordpress.com
"Phil's warm heart comes through particularly strong when he introduces the reader to adults who entered his life and served as role models and supports to both he and his mother. Phil notes, it took a village to raise him... Phil is already a diabetes champion in many senses of the word!" --www.hopewarshaw.com
"Phil Southerland has guts.... Although he had the maturity and fortitude to realize that his health is his No. 1 priority early on in life, he has had to work very hard to get where he is. He continues to work hard to achieve his goals, no matter what gets in his way. We give this book two thumbs up! Or two legs pumping, as it were." --www.diabetesmine.com
"My favorite diabetes book I've read in a long time! For starters, Phil is beyond inspiring before you read the book. But within a few pages, any level of admiration and respect you feel for the guy goes several notches... This is a guy who is charming as he is humble (and humbling). But it's not just his personal story of diabetes and love of sports... It's how he leads Team Type 1 (and Team Type 2) into bigger and more ambitious goals to prove that life with diabetes is no reason for us to not catch our dreams." --tudiabetes.org Phil Southerland's autobiography is an inspirational coming-of-age memoir about a type 1 baby who wasn't supposed to live It's an engrossing book, a sports adventure story with a medical subplot and a roster of dynamic characters, the most dynamic of whom is Phil himself. If we could harness his energy, our dependence on foreign oil would be a thing of the past It's not only a memoir of diabetes and an inside look at the world of professional bike racing, but also a story of tigerish determination and the utter resolve to never give up, to win against all odds. "Diabetes Health"
This book is a must read for all of us with type 1 diabetes and for our support team of family and friends as well. Phil Southerland's account of his battle with diabetes and triumph over it seeks to and succeeds at being an educational and inspirational guide for reaching the full potential that exists in all of us. Showbusiness legend and New York Times bestselling author of Growing Up Again Mary Tyler Moore
Phil's story reinforces my belief that parenting diabetic kids isn't about numbers. It is about the values that make for creative, active, useful, participant [sic] in life . One of my favorite lines from the book anticipates being less than perfect. It is brilliant, sage and simple advice, "A key part of being a diabetic is choosing trustworthy friends, reliable friends that you can depend on in a crisis." I submit that is equally true if you take out being a diabetic' and insert life' but possibly more true for diabetics. I think that a similar substitution is true of the book as a whole. It isn't about diabetes it is about life. As such "Not Dead Yet" is great read for anyone whether they live with diabetes or not . A great ride. I recommend it highly. "www.ydmv.net"
"Not Dead Yet" is an uplifting and incredibly true adventure of a young man who beats the odds. Phil Southerland is an inspiration to those who live and struggle with diabetes as well as any individual who faces seemingly unsurmountable challenges. "Steve Edelman, MD, University of California-San Diego, Founder and Director of Taking Control of Your Diabetes"
A very good read. "kellywpa.wordpress.com"
Phil's warm heart comes through particularly strong when he introduces the reader to adults who entered his life and served as role models and supports to both he and his mother. Phil notes, it took a village to raise him Phil is already a diabetes champion in many senses of the word! "www.hopewarshaw.com"
Phil Southerland has guts . Although he had the maturity and fortitude to realize that his health is his No. 1 priority early on in life, he has had to work very hard to get where he is. He continues to work hard to achieve his goals, no matter what gets in his way. We give this book two thumbs up! Or two legs pumping, as it were. "www.diabetesmine.com"
My favorite diabetes book I've read in a long time! For starters, Phil is beyond inspiring before you read the book. But within a few pages, any level of admiration and respect you feel for the guy goes several notches... This is a guy who is charming as he is humble (and humbling). But it's not just his personal story of diabetes and love of sports... It's how he leads Team Type 1 (and Team Type 2) into bigger and more ambitious goals to prove that life with diabetes is no reason for us to not catch our dreams. "tudiabetes.org"" Praise for NOT DEAD YET: "Phil Southerland's autobiography is an inspirational coming-of-age memoir about a type 1 baby who wasn't supposed to live... It's an engrossing book, a sports adventure story with a medical subplot and a roster of dynamic characters, the most dynamic of whom is Phil himself. If we could harness his energy, our dependence on foreign oil would be a thing of the past... It's not only a memoir of diabetes and an inside look at the world of professional bike racing, but also a story of tigerish determination and the utter resolve to never give up, to win against all odds." -"Diabetes Health""This book is a must read for all of us with type 1 diabetes and for our support team of family and friends as well. Phil Southerland's account of his battle with diabetes and triumph over it seeks to and succeeds at being an educational and inspirational guide for reaching the full potential that exists in all of us." -- Showbusiness legend and "New York Times" bestselling author of "Growing Up Again" Mary Tyler Moore
"Phil's story reinforces my belief that parenting diabetic kids isn't about numbers. It is about the values that make for creative, active, useful, participant [sic] in life.... One of my favorite lines from the book anticipates being less than perfect. It is brilliant, sage and simple advice, "A key part of being a diabetic is choosing trustworthy friends, reliable friends that you can depend on in a crisis." I submit that is equally true if you take out 'being a diabetic' and insert 'life' but possibly more true for diabetics. I think that a similar substitution is true of the book as a whole. It isn't about diabetes it is about life. As such "Not Dead Yet" is great read for anyone whether they live with diabetes or not.... A great ride. I recommend it highly." --www.ydmv.net
""Not Dead Yet" is an uplifting and incredibly true adventure of a young man who beats the odds. Phil Southerland is an inspiration to those who live and struggle with diabetes as well as any individual who faces seemingly unsurmountable challenges." -Steve Edelman, MD, University of California-San Diego, Founder and Director of Taking Control of Your Diabetes
"A very good read." --kellywpa.wordpress.com
"Phil's warm heart comes through particularly strong when he introduces the reader to adults who entered his life and served as role models and supports to both he and his mother. Phil notes, it took a village to raise him... Phil is already a diabetes champion in many senses of the word!" --www.hopewarshaw.com
"Phil Southerland has guts.... Although he had the maturity and fortitude to realize that his health is his No. 1 priority early on in life, he has had to work very hard to get where he is. He continues to work hard to achieve his goals, no matter what gets in his way. We give this book two thumbs up! Or two legs pumping, as it were." --www.diabetesmine.com
"My favorite diabetes book I've read in a long time! For starters, Phil is beyond inspiring before you read the book. But within a few pages, any level of admiration and respect you feel for the guy goes several notches... This is a guy who is charming as he is humble (and humbling). But it's not just his personal story of diabetes and love of sports... It's how he leads Team Type 1 (and Team Type 2) into bigger and more ambitious goals to prove that life with diabetes is no reason for us to not catch our dreams." --tudiabetes.org Praise for NOT DEAD YET: "This book is a must read for all of us with type 1 diabetes and for our support team of family and friends as well. Phil Southerland's account of his battle with diabetes and triumph over it seeks to and succeeds at being an educational and inspirational guide for reaching the full potential that exists in all of us." -- Showbusiness legend and "New York Times" bestselling author of "Growing Up Again" Mary Tyler Moore "Phil's story reinforces my belief that parenting diabetic kids isn't about numbers. It is about the values that make for creative, active, useful, participant [sic] in life.... One of my favorite lines from the book anticipates being less than perfect. It is brilliant, sage and simple advice, "A key part of being a diabetic is choosing trustworthy friends, reliable friends that you can depend on in a crisis." I submit that is equally true if you take out 'being a diabetic' and insert 'life' but possibly more true for diabetics. I think that a
