My name is Abby, and I am eleven years old. I was diagnosed with “The bad kind of diabetes” three years ago. This is what many people call type 1 diabetes (T1D) when they find out that I have this disease. Yes, I do have to wear an insulin pump, check my blood sugar ten times a day, and change my infusion site every three days; so I guess it’s not so great.

My struggle with having T1D, is that physical activity like Irish Step Dance drops my sugar low. I always need to stop practicing and check myself during class. There have been so many times that I could only sit on a chair and watch my friends learn new steps. This is because it was not safe, and I was not feeling well enough. During big competitions, my numbers can be very high or very low. I always make sure that I have my glucometer and snacks close by. The toughest is when I am in a group dance, and others are relying on me to be well. No matter how well I take care of myself, the disease sometimes has a mind of its own. That can be very stressful as well. Luckily for me, I have a lot of supportive people behind me, including Breakthrough T1D!

I hope that I can someday be able to dance without worry.

Please consider making a Fund A Cure donation in honor of Abby and others living with T1D by clicking here.