Dare To Dream Review & *Giveaway* 5 Winners!

Dare To Dream by Douglas Cairns

About The Book:

"Dare To Dream - Flying Solo With Diabetes; Around The World in 159 Days" is an inspirational memoir by Douglas Cairns who carried out an extremely brave feat of flying around the world at the controls of a light aircraft with type 1 diabetes. His aims were clear: to raise awareness of diabetes around the world, in particular, to highlight that diabetes need not limit the scope of peoples' dreams and ambitions. In 1989, Douglas Cairns was a jet flying instructor in the British Royal Air Force when his doctor told him, “You are a diabetic, and you were a pilot,” and that he would never be able to fly again due to the risk of low blood sugars and incapacitation. "Dare To Dream" tells how Douglas returned to his flying dreams 14 years later using a private pilot’s license in the USA, and in 2002 carrying out “Diabetes World Flight” at the controls of a 1970 Beech Baron B58 twin-engine aircraft. Douglas gives an extremely compelling and frank description of his loss of flying career, adapting to life with a chronic medical condition, changing career, and after regaining the freedom to fly, his diabetes fact-finding flight around the world lasting 159 days through 22 countries. 

My Thoughts:

What an inspiring book! Just about anyone can relate to this book - overcoming restrictions, disabilities, diseases, discriminations, and personal barriers. Not only is this book a good story told well by the author, but it is eye-opening and very informative. The author is not only brave but admirable as well. He fought for himself, and people in similar situations. To some, he could even be called a hero. What a great journey, that is still ongoing. Bravo to the author for sharing such and uplifting story.

About The Author:

Douglas Cairns, 42 years old, grew up in the Highlands of Scotland where developed a burning boyhood dream to fly jets in the British Royal Air Force. After finishing his degree in Geography at Edinburgh University in 1985 he joined the Royal Air Force and qualified as a fast-jet pilot in 1988. By the age of 25, he was a flying instructor on basic jet trainers in Yorkshire, England. Six months later he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, a chronic medical condition that requires insulin injections every day to stay alive. A disciplined diet, blood sugar testing, plenty of exercise and regular visits to the doctor were required to remain in good health. While being stabilized in hospital, Douglas developed a strong desire to control his diabetes, but despite gaining good overall control from an early stage, his flying career was finished. In 1989, not one single aviation authority anywhere in the world allowed a person with insulin dependent diabetes to gain even a private pilot’s license due to the risk of low blood sugars and incapacitation. A military or civilian flying career was out of the question. Douglas subsequently left the RAF and moved to London where he began a new career in finance, specializing in asset management. In 1996 he moved to Thailand where he helped establish a British/Thai asset management joint venture, initially as Chief Investment Officer and in 2001 was running the company as Chief Executive Officer. Throughout Douglas’s new career, the passion for flying never left, and in 1999 he was delighted to discover that the USA had recently introduced a system that allowed people with insulin dependent diabetes to fly using a private pilot’s license, assuming certain medical requirements (overall good diabetes control) could be met. In 2000, Douglas met the medical requirements, and in December 2000 at Montgomery Airfield, San Diego, he regained the freedom to fly after gaining a private pilot certificate. Shortly after regained freedom to fly, a new dream was established; to fly around the world at the controls of a light aircraft and raise awareness of diabetes. After his work contract finished in Thailand in 2002, Douglas relocated to the USA and following five months of intense preparations, began “Diabetes World Flight,” a journey around the world at the controls of a Beech Baron B58 twin-engine aircraft. Douglas took 159 days to complete his world flight, making 63 flights over 26,300 nautical miles and passing through 22 different countries. He met with leaders of the diabetes community in 19 of the 22 countries, where he learned how difficult life can be with diabetes in less developed countries. In some countries, people could not afford their diabetes medication, relying on free handouts from their local diabetes association. On one Pacific island, the only healthcare center had run out of fast-acting insulin and had only two blood glucose meters to help manage blood sugars of over 800 people with type 2 diabetes. In 2003, three months after finishing his flight, he was awarded the “Pilot of the Year” award by “Flyer UK” magazine in recognition of his efforts to change restrictive blanket bans against people with diabetes by most aviation authorities around the world. Since completing Diabetes World Flight, Douglas has been giving inspirational talks to diabetes organizations such as Taking Control of Your Diabetes, Children With Diabetes, and several country diabetes associations including the American Diabetes Association and Diabetes UK. He has also set four world speed records in his Beech Baron B58, including a 12-hour Transcontinental Speed Record from California to North Carolina. To learn more, please visit Diabetes World Fight.

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Giveaway ends October 31st. US only, sorry. Good luck!

I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the author's editor. All thoughts and opinions are my own.