Piše Neven Furjan

Povodom današnjeg Svjetskog dana multiple skleroze dijelimo priču o jednom hrabrom mladiću koji boluje od dijabetesa i multiple skleroze. Unatoč tim dvaju kroničnim stanjim, on nije prestao živjeti svoj život te je postao i hrvatski DiaEuro futsal igrač. Predstavljamo vam Nevena Furjana koji je za vas ispričao svoju priču. Naša preporuka je ugodno se smjestite i prepustite ovoj motivacijskoj priči! 

Svi su pričali da se dijabetes dobiva ako jedeš puno slatkog, al zanimljivo ja sam kao dijete mrzio slatko. Obožavao sam voće i povrće. Dal se i od toga dobiva dijabetes?

Ja sam Neven Furjan iz Velikog Lovrečana (malo mjesto u općini Cestica blizu grada Varaždina). Imam 26 godina.  Cijelo svoje djetinjstvo bio sam kao i sva ostala djeca vrlo aktivan i nestašan, sve do svoje 6 godine kada je uslijedio jedan veliki šok za sve nas. Dobio sam dijabetes. Dijabetes je ljudima u mojem kraju u ono vrijeme bio totalna nepoznanica. Svi su pričali da se dijabetes dobiva ako jedeš puno slatkog, al zanimljivo ja sam kao dijete mrzio slatko. Obožavao sam voće i povrće. Dal se i od toga dobiva dijabetes? Od čega se dobiva dijabetes? Što je to dijabetes? Sva ova pitanja svakodnevno su mi postavljali ljudi u mojem okruženju. Mislim da je svima drugima bilo teže prihvatiti da sam dijabetičar nego meni samome. Ja sam uvijek bio vedro i veselo dijete puno ideja za budućnost. Nakon dijagnoze upisao sam prvu školu nogometa i od onda smo nogomet i ja bili nerazdvojni. Uz nogomet uvijek sam volio glazbu, pa sam tako samostalno po sluhu naučio svirati harmoniku i klavijature.

Zamislite sa svojih 17 godina, da Vam liječnik kaže da možda nikad više nećete moći igrati nogomet.

Završio sam osnovnu školu u Velikom Lovrečanu i Cestici, a nakon toga upisao sam srednju školu za arhitektonskog tehničara u Varaždinu. Uvijek mi je bio san jednog dana postati arhitekt. Sve je išlo prema planu do moje 17 godine kada me dva koraka natrag gurnula još jedna autoimuna bolest; multipla skleroza. Počelo je s trncima, gubitkom osjećaja u nogama i rukama, dok na kraju nisam više mogao samostalno hodati. Tri mjeseca proveo sam po bolnicama i rehabilitacijama, da bi nakon tri mjeseca zahvaljujući liječnicima u Varaždinu i Zagrebu ponovno stao na noge. To je za mene bio novi početak. Zamislite sa svojih 17 godina, da Vam liječnik kaže da možda nikad više nećete moći igrati nogomet. Priznajem, to me  dotuklo. Najviše je dotuklo moje roditelje koji su bili neutješni, al u ovim teškim trenucima za sve, smogli su snage i davali mi podršku koja mi je u onom trenutku bila najpotrebnija. Naravno, tu ne smijem zaboraviti ostatak obitelji i prijatelje koji su uvijek bili uz mene.

Uz pomoć harmonike koju sam svakodnevno rastezao i vježbao prste, osjećaj se polako počeo vračati.

Nakon 2 tjedna pomiješanih osjećaja u meni, ja sam se sjetio da je doktorica rekla da možda nikad više neću igrati nogomet. Sjetio sam se i one da za mene „neću moći“ ne postoji. Odlučio sam krenuti ispočetka, korak po korak. Uz veliku pomoć profesora i prijatelja završio sam srednju školu sa čak 360 sati opravdanih izostanaka s nastave. Ponovno sam učio pisati. Iskreno, nije bilo lako, al uz pomoć harmonike koju sam svakodnevno rastezao i vježbao prste, osjećaj se polako počeo vračati. Nakon srednje škole upisao sam studij graditeljstva u Varaždinu, kojeg sam završio 2019. godine i stekao zvanje inženjera graditeljstva.

Kao osoba s dijabetesom, 2014. godine sa dobio poziv u Hrvatsku futsal reprezentaciju osoba s dijabetesom. Cijela ekipa me bodrila i poticala kad znaju da je meni to duplo teže izvesti nego njima jer imam bolest s kojom malo tko može uopće zamisliti da igra nogomet.

Uz sve obaveze i poteškoće s zdravljem, već 18 godina sam aktivan član DVD-a Lovrečan Dubrava, a već 6 godina sam predsjednik Malonogometnog kluba Lovrečan koji broji 98 članova. Bio sam glavni inicijator pokretanja međuopćinske malonogometne „Klampotic“ lige u kojoj sudjeluje 10 ekipa iz dvije općine. Glavni sam organizator jednog od najvećih malonogometnih turnira u sjeverozapadnoj Hrvatskoj „Oculus kup Lovrečan“, na kojem je prošle godine sudjelovalo 48 sportskih ekipa u 2 dana. Član sam varaždinskog i zagrebačkog dijabetičkog društva. A kao osoba s dijabetesom sam na kraju 2014. godine dobio poziv u Hrvatsku futsal reprezentaciju osoba s dijabetesom. Sa reprezentacijom sam prošao puno država diljem Europe i osvojio tri brončane medalje i jedno srebro. Vjerujte, nema ljepšeg osjećaja kada zasvira hrvatska himna, a u sebi osjećaš ponos i trnce jer znaš da se na terenu boriš za svoju državu. Još je ljepši osjećaj kada znaš da te dvije bolesti nisu dovoljno velika prepreka da zabiješ 3 gola na utakmici protiv Bugarske. Cijela ekipa me bodrila i poticala kad znaju da je meni to duplo teže izvesti nego njima jer imam bolest s kojom malo tko može uopće zamisliti da igra nogomet. Još je ljepši osjećaj kada u svlačionici na harmonici odsviraš pjesmu koja ekipu digne na 200% i ponese nas do pobjede i nove medalje.

Danas se bavim rekreativno malim nogometom, koliko mi to zdravlje dozvoljava. Radim u struci u tvrtci koja se bavi postavljanjem keramike. Prije 5 godina pronašao sam najdivniju ljekarnicu i najbolju curu na svijetu koja se zove Nikolina i s kojom sam u sretnoj vezi. Vjerujem da ni njoj nije lako sa mnom kraj svih tih mojih obaveza i bolesti, ali uvijek mi je bila najveća podrška u svemu.

Da se ponovno rodim ne bi mi smetalo da opet imam dijabetes i multiplu. Te kronične bolesti su me izgradile u kompletnu osobu i vjerujem da su me te bolesti najviše naučile što je u životu najvrijednije.

Sve ovo napisano, dokaz je da su ljubav i pozitivno razmišljanje jači od svih bolesti svijeta. Da se ponovno rodim opet ne bi mi smetalo da opet imam dijabetes i multiplu sklerozu. Sigurno se pitate, zašto? Zato jer me to izgradilo u kompletnu osobu i vjerujem da su me te bolesti najviše naučile što je u životu najvrijednije. Najvrijednije je da budeš uvijek jedan korak ispred bolesti i da ti upravljaš bolešću, a ne da bolest upravlja tobom. Kao što ja volim reći: „Samo nam je nebo granica!“

Samo nam je nebo granica!

Living with diabetes and multiple sclerosis

Written by Neven Furjan, player of the Croatian futsal diabetes nation team – DiaEuro team Croatia

On the occasion of World Multiple Sclerosis Day (May 30^th) we are sharing a story about a brave young man who is living with diabetes and multiple sclerosis. Despite two chronical conditions he didn’t stop living his life and became a Croatian DiaEuro futsal player.

They all said that diabetes comes when you eat too much sweets, but in my case, I didn’t like sweets at all! I loved to eat fruits and vegetables. Can you get diabetes from this food?

My name is Neven Furjan. I’m 26 years old, living in Veliki Lovrečan, a small place in the municipality of Cestica near the city of Varaždin, Croatia. Throughout my childhood, I was like all other children – very active and mischievous, until I was 6 years old when one big thing shocked me and my family. I got diabetes type one. At that time, diabetes was pretty unknown to people in my area. They all said that diabetes comes when you eat too much sweets, but in my case, I didn’t like sweets at all! I loved to eat fruits and vegetables. Can you get diabetes from this food? What causes diabetes? What is diabetes at all? All these question and many others were asked frequently by my neighbours. Nowadays, I think that for most of them, it was harder to accept that I was a person with diabetes than it was for me. I have always been a cheerful and joyful child full of ideas for the future. After the diagnosis, I enrolled in my first football school, and since then, football and I have been inseparable. Along with football, I have also always loved music, so taught myself to play the accordion and keyboards.

Imagine, at the age of 17, that your doctor tells you: you might not be able to play football ever again.

I finished elementary school in Veliki Lovrečan and Cestica. After that, I enrolled in high school for architectural technicians in Varaždin. My dream was to become an architect. Everything went according to plan until I was 17 when another autoimmune illness, multiple sclerosis, pushed me two steps back. It started with tingling, loss of sensation in my legs and arms until eventually, I could no longer walk on my own. I spent three months in hospitals and rehabilitation. After three months, thanks to doctors in Varaždin and Zagreb, I got back on my feet. It was a new beginning for me. Imagine, at the age of 17, that your doctor tells you: you might not be able to play football ever again. I admit it hit me hard. But it hit my parents even harder, they were inconsolable. Still, in these difficult times for everyone, they found the strength and gave me the support that I needed. Of course, I can’t forget the rest of my family and friends who have always been by my side.

With the help of the accordion which I stretched every day and practiced my fingers on it, the feeling slowly began to return.

After two weeks of mixed feelings, I remembered the doctors’ words that I might not be able play football again. Needless to say that the words “not be able” don’t exist for me. I decided to start over, step by step. With the great help of professors and friends, I finished high school with as many as 360 hours of absences from classes. I learned to write again. It wasn’t easy, but with the help of the accordion which I stretched every day and practiced my fingers on it, the feeling slowly began to return. After high school, I started studying Civil engineering at the university in Varaždin, which I finished in 2019.

As a person with diabetes, 2014, I received an invitation to the Croatian national futsal team for people with diabetes. The whole team roots for me and encourages me because they knew that it is twice as hard for me then it is for them because I have an illness that a lot people can even imagine playing football with. 

With all my obligations and despite my health problems, I have been an active member of the Lovrečan Dubrava voluntary fire brigade for 18 years, and I have been the president of the Lovrečan Futsal Club, which has 98 members, for 6 years. I was the main initiator of the inter-municipal indoor soccer league “Klampotic” in which 10 teams from two municipalities participate. I am the main organizer of one of the largest indoor soccer tournaments in north-western Croatia “Oculus Cup Lovrečan”, which was last year attended by 48 sports teams in 2 days. I am a member of the Varaždin and Zagreb Diabetic Society. And as a person with diabetes at the end of 2014, I received an invitation to the Croatian national futsal team for people with diabetes. With the national team I went to a lot of countries all over Europe and won three bronze and one silver medal. Believe me, there is no better feeling then when the Croatian anthem is playing, you feel pride and tingling in your body because you know that you are playing for your country. It feels even better when you know that these two chronical conditions are not a big enough obstacle to score 3 goals in the game against Bulgaria. The whole team roots for me and encourages me because they knew that it is twice as hard for me then it is for them because I have an illness that a lot people can even imagine playing football with. A great feeling is also when you play the accordion in the locker room before a match, which motivates the team to 200% and takes it to victory and a new medal.

Today, I play recreational football, as much as my health allows. I work in my profession in a company that works in the business of installing of ceramics. 5 years ago, I found the most wonderful pharmacist and the best girl in the world named Nikolina and with whom I am in a happy relationship. I believe that it is not always easy for her to deal with me, with all my obligations and illnesses, but she has always been my greatest support in everything.

If I was born again, I would not mind if I had diabetes and multiple sclerosis again. It built me as a person and I believe that these illnesses have taught me what is most valuable in life.

All that is written here, is proof that love and positive thinking are stronger than all the illnesses of the world. If I was born again, I would not mind if again I had diabetes and multiple sclerosis again. You must be wondering, why? Because it built me as a person, and I believe that these illnesses have taught me what is most valuable in life. The most valuable thing is to always be one step ahead of the illness, to manage it but not to be controlled by it. As I like to say, “Only the sky is our limit!”

Only the sky is our limit!