When a child is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D), a family’s world changes overnight. For Liana’s family, those early weeks were overwhelming. Filled with fear, uncertainty, and a steep learning curve. But in the middle of that difficult time, something arrived that made a profound difference: the Breakthrough T1D Bag of Hope.
From Liana’s Mom, Courtney:
“When our daughter, Liana, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, we were only a few weeks into what felt like an overwhelming, life-altering experience. Everything was new—there was so much to learn, and it was hard to imagine how we would manage it all. Receiving the Breakthrough T1D Bag of Hope during this time was truly a gift. As parents, we found the resources inside invaluable. The educational materials helped us begin to understand what life with T1D would look like. The recipe book and measuring cups became daily tools as we learned to count carbs and manage meals with precision and care.
For Liana, the most meaningful part was getting Rufus, the Bear with Diabetes. She was scared, uncertain, and feeling very alone—but when she opened the bag and saw Rufus, she lit up. Rufus has been with her through the hardest parts of her journey—during literal and figurative highs and lows. The children’s books included in the Bag of Hope helped her know that there were other kids going through what she was enduring. They helped her understand her condition in a way that made her feel seen and supported.
The Bag of Hope gave our family a sense of comfort, community, and hope during one of the most difficult times of our lives. It helped us feel less alone, more prepared, and gave Liana something to hold on to—physically and emotionally—as she began navigating life with T1D. We are deeply grateful for this program and the impact it had on our family. Supporting Breakthrough T1D and the Bag of Hope means giving other families the same lifeline we received—and we can’t think of a more important cause.”
From Liana, Age 9
At the recent Knockout T1D event, Liana bravely shared what life with T1D is really like. Her words speak for themselves:
“Hi everyone, my name is Liana, and I am 9 years old. A year ago, my life turned upside down when I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes means my body doesn’t make insulin, something everyone needs to stay alive. That means every single day I have to do what my body can’t do on it’s own, I have to be my own pancreas. It sounds kind of funny, right? Well, it’s not funny at all. It’s hard and it’s scary and it never stops.
When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I think about isn’t what game I want to play or what cereal I want for breakfast. It’s what’s my blood sugar? Is it high? Is it low? Am I gonna feel sick today? I prick my finger and check my pump. Hoping my numbers are ok. Sometimes they are, but a lot of times, they’re not.
When my blood sugar is high, I feel tired and grumpy. My head hurts. My stomach hurts. I can’t concentrate in school. When it’s low, I get shaky, dizzy, and scared, like the world is spinning too fast.
Every single thing I eat, I have to count carbs, give myself insulin, even a bite of pizza or a cookie at a birthday party means math, planning, and needles. I can’t just eat like other kids.
Exercise makes it even trickier. Running, playing tag, even laughing too hard. It can all make my blood sugar drop too low, so I have to stop, even when I don’t want to. I hate missing out.
After the diagnosis, my friends stopped inviting me to sleepovers and birthday parties because they’re afraid something might happen to me. It’s not their fault, but it still hurts. I just want to be like them.
At night, I don’t always sleep much. My parents don’t either. My blood sugar can go low when I am sleeping and that can be really dangerous. Sometimes my parents have to wake me up to drink juice or have my alarms go off so I can check them. I can’t just sleep like every kid, I want to, but diabetes doesn’t take nights off.
I wear an insulin pump and a continuous glucose monitor. They help, but they’re painful. The sticky parts make my skin itch really bad, and I can’t take them off, even when I want to.
This disease never goes away. Everyday I have to fight to live. There are no breaks. No vacations. No cure, yet! But I believe there will be.
That’s why I’m standing here today, because I want that cure. I want to live a life where I can just be a kid. Where I can play, sleep, eat, and laugh without fear. And you can help me make that happen. When you donate tonight, you’re not just giving money, you’re giving hope.
You’re helping scientists find the cure that could change lives of Lily, Wyatt, myself, and so many other kids like us. I dream about the day I can say ‘I used to have type 1 diabetes.’ Please make that day come soon. Thank you for listening and believing in a cure.”
Join Liana in the Fight for a Cure
Liana is fighting every single day, not for anything extraordinary, but simply for the chance to be a kid.
Your support can help make her dream possible.
Click here to donate to Fund A Cure today to support research, fuel breakthroughs, and bring us closer to the day when kids like Liana can say the words she dreams of: “I used to have type 1 diabetes.”