“My life changed completely when I was nine years old. What should have been a carefree childhood suddenly became a life filled with injections, finger pricks, and carefully planned meals when I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Overnight, I went from a typical child to someone who had to monitor every bite I ate and every move I made.
But even with the challenges of type 1 diabetes, I refused to let it stop me. I worked harder, pushed forward, and built the life I dreamed of. I earned my degree in occupational therapy, married my best friend, and became the mother of two beautiful girls.
Years later, one of my greatest fears became reality. My youngest daughter, Addison, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at just five years old. What began as a normal evening turned into a moment that changed both of our lives. When I checked her blood sugar and saw the dangerously high number, my heart broke. I knew the challenges she would face—because I had lived them.
But today, thanks to advancements in technology and the research made possible by organizations like Breakthrough T1D, Addison and I are able to manage our diabetes with confidence and good control. Because of these breakthroughs, she has been able to live a full, active life as an 11-year-old involved in dance, drama, cheer, and 4-H. She loves animals and is very creative. She hopes to be an interior designer one day. Some days are difficult, but Addi handles them with strength, grace, and a little help from me. She doesn’t let diabetes define her—and neither do I.”
-Amie Widner, The Widner Family
Donate Here: https://www.breakthrought1d.org/arkansas/events/widner/
