Type 1 Diabetes is caused by the immune system attacking cells in the pancreas that control the blood sugar levels and it impacts the production of insulin, required in the process of converting glucose into energy. 

The Australian boxer was diagnosed with the condition at the age of nine. 
 
It came, initially as a “devastating” blow, with the ‘sports-mad’ child worried it would curtail her sporting ambitions. They were particularly ‘primed’ at the time, with her softball playing elder sister, Belinda, having just returned with Olympic bronze from Beijing 2008. 

Greentree was soon set on a path which would ensure she could continue with her own mission though and as part of World Diabetes Day 2025 she wants to share her story to prove to other diabetic aspiring athletes that they do not abandon hopes of sporting success. 

From a young age Greentree excelled across numerous sports, so much so that she would compete in heptathlon and rugby as a child, before discovering boxing in her late teens. 

It made – and has continued to make – monitoring her glucose levels crucial, with sport naturally requiring high levels of energy and therefore the presence of insulin within the blood. 

“The adrenaline of boxing can send my blood sugar levels really high and if I don’t make a correction then I might end up dropping really low,” she reveals. “So, it’s a bit of a balancing act.” 

Greentree has a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) patch on her arm which tracks her levels and sends the information directly to her phone. 

“I've got to check extra things to make sure that everything's running smoothly. It’s a matter of life and death, but I think in the time that I have boxed I’ve got to know my body quite well, so I know what I have to do to make it perfect,” she says. 

“I just think it's really like important to embrace it.  

“I was very lucky in the sense that my doctor told me to ‘just keep doing what you love and we'll figure it out’ and that was a huge thing for me.” 

While she acknowledges being diagnosed with a life-changing condition requires a period of reflection and adjustment, Greentree feels it’s important to highlight not only her own achievements, but also those of other athletes in similar situations. 

“You don't need to stop and like Australian sprinter Lachlan Kennedy (World Indoor 60m silver medallist), seeing him achieve massive things as a Type 1 Diabetic, that inspires me,” Greentree insists. 

“I have seen a lot of cases where there are young adults and teenagers who don't actually know what they can (still) do and it breaks my heart. I just really wish they could see their potential and that they can still achieve things the way that I'm achieving. 

“When I do receive messages from people out there who say I’ve inspired them to continue with their dreams, whether it’s sport, study or whatever, it’s the coolest feeling because now I feel like I’m doing big things for the diabetic community as well.” 

Ahead of her most recent World Championship success, Greentree spent time in Glasgow for a pre-event training camp which served as an ‘acclimatisation and familiarisation’ visit ahead of what she hopes will be a maiden Commonwealth Games appearance in 2026. 

Subject to selection, that would enable her to bid for an honour her Olympic medal-winning sister was not eligible to target in softball. 

“She's a little bit older than me, but there's a lot of sibling rivalry and it's not a bad sibling rivalry, it's just, I want to do one better. You know what I mean?” she says while laughing. 

“She's done amazing things, like she got a bronze medal and she brought that to me when I was in hospital just after being diagnosed and that motivated me to keep doing what I'm doing.” 

Glasgow 2026 will be the fourth edition of the Commonwealth Games to feature Women’s Boxing, with the sport’s debut coming at Glasgow 2014. 

Greentree will, subject to selection, head to the event off the back of attaining the highest rank of any athlete eligible for the Games in the women’s 75kg division, via the 2025 Worlds. 

“Glasgow 2026, that to me is it's a huge goal,” she states. “I think the Commonwealth Games is a big thing for unity within countries of the Commonwealth, but getting a gold medal at that level would be incredible. 

“Dreams don’t come easy, but they’re worth every fight and while I’m proud of how far I’ve come, I’m even more excited about what’s still ahead.” 

By Nick Hope, Glasgow 2026 Content Creator