Day 30 – Elizabeth

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August 28th, 2016 will be my eleventh year living with Type 1 Diabetes. I turn 25 on March 30th,2016, which marks a turning point in my life, as my age will be exactly one quarter of a century. When I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of fourteen, I simply incorporated this change of lifestyle into my regime. This sounds easy enough; however, I also hid this disease from all but my family and close friends, in hopes of not being “treated differently.”

That being said, one thing that I have always been proud of about myself is my physical strength. I always work hard to be sure that this disease will never hold me back from accomplishing all that I know I can do. When I was in my junior year of high school, I was involved with a youth group and had a chance to go on a mission trip where we would hike and only carry our body weight in food with us. I immediately began to plan out how I could accomplish this, how much insulin and supplies I would have to bring with me, etc. About a week before the money deposit was due to confirm my spot, the head of the mission trip talked my mother out of letting me go, stating that he was nervous that something adverse would happen since I am a Type 1 Diabetic. I wasn’t allowed to go on that trip, and I’ve never forgotten that.

Fast forward about six or seven years and I am now a high school and college graduate, who also served two years with AmeriCorps through an Education Nonprofit called City Year New York. I moved out of my house, into an apartment, and my first year I tutored and mentored children in an elementary school, as well as participated in Service Reserves, where I helped prep for physical days of service. The next year, I applied to be on the Civic Engagement Team, which trains the Service Reserves, and spent the entire year planning, prepping, and executing physical days of service. This involved a tremendous amount of physical, mental, and emotional strength. I loved the fact that I could show my strength and no one thought twice about the fact that this small, short woman was carrying multiple bins, huge pieces of wood, and that she also happened to be a Type 1 Diabetic. I am now working as the Office Manager for a Not-For-Profit called Community Action Southold Town, Inc. I continue to thrive and look forward to what the future holds.

For me, this past year was my moment to shine and prove wrong anyone who has ever thought that I couldn’t accomplish something, because I can, I have, and I will continue to do anything and everything that I set my mind to—I am a Type 1 Diabetic, and I am a strong, independent woman.

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

Elizabeth P.