More than 120 Young Adults joined JDRF for a weekend of networking, learning and connecting at the JDRF Young Adult Conference held in Dallas, Texas on March 30 and 31. Find the photos of this electrifying conference here.

The conference experience was enriched by speakers who inspired our participants by talking about living with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), how to manage and cope, as well as new scientific breakthroughs in diabetes research.

Tidepool’s Brandon Aribter held an intriguing session focused on technology and the progression of technology over time. Participants were excited to learn about Tidepool, which provides free software for the diabetes community to get the most out of their diabetes devices, and the Tidepool Loop projects that are common in the DIY community. Check out Tidepool for more info on this amazing technology.

Dr. Mark Heyman, a diabetes psychologist and a Certified Diabetes Educator, talked about diabetes burnout and body image. In this emotionally charged session, participants talked about real issues that impact the community, how they struggle to talk openly about their feelings and how the conference provided them with a much-needed boost.

Hearing stories of triumph as well as how to overcome the lows from Chris Ruden, Austin Basis, Jim Turner and Nicole Johnson were also impactful. The common thread was – we are all in this together and we can lift each other up and grow personally and professionally by being involved in this vibrant community.

Speaking of growth and networking, JDRF also supports professional development of Young Adults through the JDRF College Internship program.  This program is designed to develop and train undergraduate and graduate students living with T1D to become leaders in the diabetes community by helping them secure potentially life-shaping internships in leading companies, organizations and institutions all over the United States.

This year the program saw 180 applications, out of which 90 applicants were finalists and eventually 25 will be selected for internships beginning in June 2019. The students will be working in New York City, Boston, San Diego, Washington, DC, Chicago and other locations, and placed with such impressive employers as Ascensia, Harvard University, Massachusetts General, Vanderbilt University, Pacific Diabetes and the AMCR Institute.

The next JDRF Young Adult Conference will be held in Orlando, Florida on October 12-13, 2019. Watch this space for registration link.

To learn more about JDRF Young Adult Conference and JDRF College Internship program, contact Nicole Johnson, JDRF Director of Mission.