Help Us Change Lindsey’s Odds

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Type one is SO much more than just “the body doesn’t produce insulin”. Each individual with type one is a warrior. Every second of the day is spent thinking about our next blood sugar test, our next injection, our next meal, and if it is not one of those, it’s another thing we must do to do right by this disease and insure our well-being. As I have gotten older, I have begun to form these feelings attached to everything I need to do for my diabetes. Maybe it’s injecting a pump site and saying, “ouch”, maybe it’s pulling out my pump to bolus in front of my friends and saying “ughhh do I really have to do this right here right now”, or maybe it’s sitting down with my mom and dad to talk about the struggles of type one, while tears are rolling down my face saying “This is so hard”, or “Why me”.

I am Lindsey. I am 15 years old and was diagnosed on April 1st, 2010. Just like any regular 15 year old, I work hard in school, I play tennis, I go spinning, and spend the rest of the time with my friends and family. When I’m not doing all of these things, I volunteer my time at Breakthrough T1D helping kids understand and meet other kids with this disease and help them realize that they are not alone, and meet their parents and give advice about how to cope with the ups and downs of type one.

There are so many things about diabetes I wish I could change. The fact that I have to be thinking about it all the time. The fact that the people around me are constantly worrying about how it will affect me. The fact that I am constantly worrying about how it will affect me. But mostly, the fact that it’s so draining and tough to live with and without support, it’s impossible to get through. The reality of it is, is that I do have type one diabetes. I have to live with it now, and I will probably have to live with it for the rest of my life. I am so lucky that I am able to manage it in a way that works for me. I have so much support, not just from my family and my friends, but also the diabetes world including people involved with Breakthrough T1D and my medical team. I have met so many amazing people that have inspired me and I would not be as tough, as brave, or as strong as I am today.

So, why not embrace it? Why not use all the skills of responsibility and maturity that I have acquired from dealing with type one to help me be bright and successful? As much as I can sit back and think about how much having diabetes sucks, or feel sorry for myself, that won’t do me any good. If I can help others and help myself from having and living with this disease, in my opinion, it’s all worth it. I know that somehow, in some way, I was chosen with around 15,000 other children to have diabetes, because we are all tough and strong in our own way, and we can get through it together! We are all warriors!

So my line is, every time you’re deciding whether to buy a Grande or a Venti at Starbucks, go with the Grande and donate the extra that your would have spent on the Venti to help me and others like me to make our wish come true :).

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

Rush, Lindsey