Name: Coleman May

Age: 16

Age at diagnosis: 11

Involvement with JDRF: Walk to Cure Diabetes, Boston Pizza fundraiser, JDRF Walk commercials, volunteering at JDRF Hope Gala

What is an obstacle you’ve faced in living with T1D, and how did you deal with it?

Just doing everything every day; checking my blood sugar, giving insulin, making sure I always have snacks handy. Always making sure I have enough insulin in my pump to get through the day. Getting on an airplane is hard. Security saw my insulin pump and they kind of freaked out.

What’s one way T1D has made you a better person?

It’s probably made me more understanding and a little bit more responsible.

What do you wish someone had told you when you were first diagnosed?

Different foods can change my blood sugar so much. Pizza or Chinese just skyrocket my blood sugar.

Have you encountered any misconceptions about T1D? If so, how did you respond?

People always ask me before I eat; they think I can’t eat certain things. I just tell them, its okay if I eat it. A lot of people think that people with diabetes can’t eat certain foods, but we can.

Who has been your biggest supporter in managing your T1D?

My friends, family and coaches. They’ve always just been understanding and behind me, helping me out.