T1D Strong

Sponsored by Sanofi. Sanofi does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment—information is provided for educational purposes only. Your doctor is the best source of health information. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions about your health or treatment. At a routine annual checkup, John’s bloodwork showed that his blood sugar and hemoglobin A1C were outside of normal range.

A type 1 diabetes (T1D) diagnosis is a life-altering event that causes immediate grief, fear and shock to many families. Parents often feel overwhelmed by the learning curve of education, technology, and the nuances of diabetes management, all of which they must learn quickly. Located near Gainesville, Texas, Camp Sweeney spans more than 350 acres and offers a respite from emotional burnout and the sudden demands of 24/7 care.

The morning when everything changed The morning Zinnia went to the hospital in Ghana, everything felt routine at first. Blood was drawn. She waited. Then the result came back, and the room shifted in tone before anyone even said a word. Her blood sugar was 14.8 mmol/L. The lab technician looked at her in a way she still remembers clearly. It was not just concern. It felt like alarm.

A Childhood Shaped by Type 1 Diabetes Anna Sabino has lived with type 1 diabetes for more than 35 years, but her understanding of the condition did not begin with data or technology. It began with moments that shaped how she saw herself and how she moved through the world. Diagnosed at age six, she remembers the emotional experience more than the clinical details. “I remember feeling left out,” Sabino said.

One topic that stood out in particular at the conference was an emphasis on T1D “killing the mood.” So what is its real impact on your sex drive? Kersti Spjut, PhD, Licensed Psychologist and Certified Sex Therapist, explained during her DMH Conference session, “When Diabetes Kills the Mood: A Sexual Health Primer for People Living with Diabetes.” Why Is It Awkward to Talk About Sex and Diabetes?

In government, things move slowly, but with persistent leadership, there’s still reason to believe not all is lost. In 2024, representatives Kim Schrier (D-WA) and John Joyce (R-PA-13) first introduced the SCREEN for Type 1 Diabetes Act to Congress. “As a pediatrician and someone with type 1 diabetes (T1D) for over 40 years, I know the challenges that come with managing the disease and understand how critical early diagnosis is,” said Congresswoman Schrier.

Who is Lauren Plunkett? Lauren Plunkett grew up in Minnesota, where she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) at age 11 with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). “My parents were just watching me shrink away,” said Plunkett. Fortunately, she had supportive parents who encouraged her to continue playing sports and live as normal a life as possible. At the time, she navigated her insulin therapy in a very regimented way, until what she describes as the hormonal apocalypse hit in the early teen years.

Even with both parents working in medicine, the signs of type 1 diabetes were not immediately recognized. Today, Asra speaks openly not only as someone who has lived through decades of challenges with diabetes, but also as a mother determined to give her daughter something she never had herself: understanding, emotional support, and the confidence to live beyond the condition.

I remember the days of having to squeeze my four-year-old son’s calloused fingers, ignoring his wails, because I had to get that single droplet of blood that revealed his blood sugar. The idea of no more fingerpricks was transcendent to me, no more constant calibration, no more scanning. The Dexcom continuous glucose monitor (CGM) and similar devices have transformed diabetes care and helped eliminate more than 11 billion fingersticks worldwide.

More importantly, research now shows that added stress like this affects blood sugar regulation and overall health.