Abigail was diagnosed July 2nd 2019, just a week after her 2nd Birthday. Abigail was in DKA (Diabetic Ketoacidosis) and was admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). It was the worst day of our lives as parents to see your child in such a critical state. The doctors and nurses reassured us that ‘she is going to be okay’, ‘this will be hard at first but she and you will get through this’. They weren't wrong.

Within 24 hours of receiving insulin our girl was coming back to us, she was singing and dancing to Frozen. Her amazing Endocrinologist Dr. B came in and asked Abigail if she was hungry, Abigail nodded and Dr. B asked what would you like to eat? Abigail responded “‘Pancakes”, and we'll never forget Dr. B joyously shouting “Get this girl some pancakes!” We were comfortable with Dr. B right away, trusting her to help guide us on this new journey. Our entire team is incredible every single one of them; educating, supporting, listening, respecting and celebrate Abigail with each milestone.

Abigail is such an incredible young girl who adapted a life she didn't choose with such grace, bravery and perseverance right from the start. She wanted to be a part of it, finding her sense of autonomy that WOWed everyone who interacted with her. She'd choose which finger to poke, where to do an injection, helped with counting, mastered the night time sleepy drinking through lows. She showed us as her parents how to be strong when it was hard, she smiled through all the pokes and uncomfortableness reassuring us she was okay.

Now at age 7, five years living with Type 1 Diabetes, Abigail has grown beyond her years. She has grown more independent with managing her Diabetes needing little to no help, continuing to amaze friends, family, nurses, teachers and us her parents. She's understanding the complexities of her disease, advocating for herself and those with Type 1 Diabetes through teaching and sharing her experiences.

Though some days bring dark emotions and havoc on her body she smiles. Every. Single. Day. Abigail smiles and shows us all light, hope, and resilience. She is and will always be the girl riding a bike in a tutu, the girl doing back bends in acrobatics, the girl putting others first.

She is Abigail first and a diabetic second.

Anthony, a spirited 7-year-old, received his diagnosis of type 1 diabetes when he was just 15 months old.

In addition to this, he faces the challenges of Phelan McDermid Syndrome, Epilepsy, and non-verbal communication, alongside previous strokes, an intellectual disability, and autism.

His journey is a testament to resilience, showcasing an unwavering spirit that refuses to be hindered by adversity.

With the aid of advanced medical technologies like the Dexcom CGM and closed-loop pump systems, he and his family navigate countless trials that could have otherwise loomed larger.

This remarkable boy shines brightly! #Resilient

Phelan-McDermid Syndrome(PMS) is a rare genetic condition caused by a deletion or other structural change of the terminal end of chromosome 22 in the 22q13 region or a disease-causing mutation of the SHANK3 gene. PMS is sometimes called 22q13 Deletion Syndrome.

Learn More about Phelan-McDermid Syndrome

I got diagnosed in March of 2020 at age 20.

The first sign that something was wrong was in February where I was doing sprints on a treadmill to get ready for a soccer season and after finishing I felt sick and dizzy to where I might need to go to the hospital.

I thought maybe I just went "too hard" and I was upset because it meant that I was way out of shape for the upcoming soccer season. Then I was getting very thirsty and seeing my weight drop despite working out and bulking.

It got to a point where I needed to go the washroom twice in the middle of the night.

I had a very bad taste in my mouth (ketones) that I couldn't get rid of.

I thought my diet may be imbalanced and I need more pH basic foods and alkaline water. Then just lifting weights made me feel dizzy and I was noticeably weaker.

I kept dropping weight to where I thought I might have some medical condition like cancer. COVID was just discovered and I thought I might have that because the symptoms of DKA are generic.

It got to a point where I felt dizzy just sitting upright on my bed and that's when my mom called an ambulance.

After getting to the hospital, I remember how the doctor started asking me generic questions and then asked my about diabetes in my family and thinking, why is that relevant?

Then when she said I have type 1 diabetes I thought she made a mistake and I need to see another doctor. As a science major doing research in immunology, I knew a little about type 1 diabetes and always thought it was diagnosed at infancy. I started reading all the research papers I could on T1D.

They kept me in the hospital for 1 week to stabilize my blood sugar. It was a shock that my life was forever changed.

The biggest thing that hurt me was thinking I would never be able to play soccer at a top level. Soccer is half my life.

I was so disappointed about my weight dropping and losing muscle. Something that took me forever to build. I had just finished my first ever bulk and I had to force feed myself to maintain a caloric surplus.

I had trouble gaining weight ever since I was a kid, but after diagnosis it was no problem. The explanation was I did not have enough insulin to absorb my food before. I gained muscle and weight very quickly in the following months to where I gained stretch marks on my muscles. I did not know it was possible on my biceps.

I started learning about all the tech that was possible to help me. With the COVID shutdown, this life change, and a new hobby, it gave me time to reflect on the trajectory of my life and I decided to change my career.

I am very driven in the pursuit of my goals. I was working out religiously and weighing every single meal and eating the same thing every day before diagnosis. That helped me a lot for bolusing insulin.

I kept remembering a quote that if life knocks you down it's okay but if you're still on the ground after 20 years it's a problem. I could either cry about my situation which wouldn't get me anywhere or claw towards my goals.

Now I am in the best shape of my life and the best I have ever been at soccer.

I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) at the age of 3, before the ability to form significant memories or live without this disease. I think that created a unique perspective for me growing up – it was always just life to me.

At the time of my diagnosis in the ‘90s, the technology to predict glucose levels did not exist. Insulin pumps weren’t common. Since I was the only T1D child in my school, my mom dropped everything to be by my side so that I could receive an education. For years, every lunch (and every instance of hyperglycemia) she would come in to give my insulin injection. She never once complained as she took on this massive burden of keeping me alive. Instead, she trailblazed diabetes education and awareness in my school, stood by my side as I went door to door for JDRF (now Breakthrough T1D) donations and together we represented JDRF as ambassadors for the Niagara Region.

I have witnessed incredible advancements for diabetes management, which inspired my academic pursuits. I always knew I wanted to combine my education with my lived experience, with the goal of improving the way diabetes is investigated and managed in Canada. Today, I have the privilege of pursuing a PhD, exploring equitable access to evidence-based diabetes care and support. I also get to use my experience to advocate on behalf of people living in Ontario for improvements to be made to the Assisted Devices Program.

It’s important to share our perspectives so others can learn how incredibly life changing and necessary medical advancements are for people living with T1D and their families. Nowadays, people can wear CGMs and have their blood glucose levels connect to their insulin pumps, which can be linked to their loved one’s cell phones. But only if they are fortunate enough to afford it, live in a province that reimburses this technology, or if they meet strict eligibility requirements. I can’t help but think of all the damage my body has gone through over the years because I didn’t have this technology. Insulin keeps us alive, but it cannot undo or prevent the damage diabetes does to our bodies. Nobody deserves to suffer more than they have to with this disease.

While diabetes has brought on challenges, it also taught me responsibility, perseverance and discipline. It has enabled me to look fear straight in the face while it strains every vessel and organ in my body. But most importantly, it has taught me what is worth fighting for.

Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in 2011, I thought my university days would be defined by insulin shots and constant worry.

But I refused to let diabetes dictate my story.

Instead, I learned to manage my condition and pushed myself to excel academically. I'm proud to say that I earned my Urban Planning Engineering degree with amazing scores!

Today, I thrive with diabetes, and my resilience has taught me that with determination and support, any challenge can be overcome.

I share my journey to inspire others: you too can rise above adversity and achieve your dreams!