Day 26 – Sara

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My name is Sara and I am a 17 year old type 1 diabetic. I was diagnosed with T1D in ninth grade in February 2013 and my life has not been the same since. Within an hour of leaving school that day, I learned how to inject myself with insulin, how to treat a low blood sugar level, and how to save my life.

Days before, a needle made me faint, and “ouch” was my response to a disappointing grade and not to a repeated slice of a lancet into my fingertip. Disappointment came from not being allowed out late with my friends, but now it came from not knowing what to eat or how to eat it. My daily routine consisted of measuring blood sugar, monitoring physical activity, calculating intake of carbohydrates, and responding to symptoms and fluctuations.

My first major setback was three weeks after being diagnosed when I was no longer able to give myself injections. Unexpectedly, my hand just froze as I approached the entry point on my body. After a few weeks of depending on my mother to administer my shots, I realized failure is not an option. My life depends on me giving myself injections. I had gone through a few challenging experiences in life, and this was just one more obstacle to overcome. I have learned that often times it is more important to deal with setbacks than with successes.

I hope that in educating, volunteering and fundraising for type 1 diabetes, I can connect to the bigger picture of this chronic disease. My efforts are in hope of contributing towards finding a cure, developing medical technology that will make life simpler for those who are insulin dependent, and worldwide access to medical devices that are important in preventing emergencies and tragedies due to type 1 diabetes. My efforts are to fight the stigma that puts type 1 diabetes in a negative light. People need to be made aware that type 1 diabetes affects healthy and strong people and there is no discriminating. While I will never forget the day that changed my life, I know my purpose now is to move forward along my path with courage and hope.

Please onsider making a Fund A Cure donation in honor of Sara and others living with T1D by clicking here

Sara