THANK YOU to our wonderful T1D community for joining the TypeOneNation Summit on February 23^rd, 2019! The day was filled with education and inspiration for all ages and stages of T1D management with over 400 attendees! It was a privilege hearing the diverse perspectives of: Endocrinologists, Researchers, Scientists, Psychologists, Podcasters, Athletes, College students, Teenagers and more!

Jerry & Juliaette Chamberlain’s Top Five Takeaways:

(1). Type 1 Diabetes is on the rise.  Incidence is currently 1 in 300, predicted to climb to 1 in 100 by the year 2050.   Wow!!

(2). Research dollars are working.  JDRF is currently helping to fund 75 clinical trials (more than any year prior), with funding  spread across many spectrums including  prevention, treatment and cure.  Recent advancements include closed-loop-pump systems, smart insulins, beta cell replacement/encapsulation and gut biome research around prevention.  I sat in two presentations all about encapsulation (cells transplanted into the body inside a protective sheath), and it was HIGHLY encouraging!

(3).  Don’t be afraid of Insulin.   One of the keynote speakers was Scott Benner, who creates a podcast titled “Juicebox Podcast”. He had a number of big takeaways, including the idea that we shouldn’t be afraid of insulin (and the lows that can result of too much insulin).  He was great at challenging our habits, including a recommendation to lower alarm settings to match the results we expect to achieve.   I’m definitely going to be subscribing and listening to more of his podcasts!

(4).  Artificial Pancreas technology and device-of-choice interoperability are near-term deliverables.   Through a series of hallway conversations and supplier conversations it became clear that the future will include choice in CGM, choice in pump, and choice in insulin.   The harder work still sits on the T1D to coordinate and manage, but it is encouraging to see market forces supporting this type of device choice.

(5).  JDRF is doing more now than ever before.  Today’s conference was attended by of all ages of T1Ds, including parents of children diagnosed less than 1 mo ago all the way to senior citizen worried about how Medicare is going to cover these newer Type 1 treatments.  The common denominator in everything today was JDRF….making a difference in the lives of Type 1 individuals (regardless of age), funding key research, advocating in Washington DC for appropriate legislation, educating local communities, and driving additional awareness about the increasing rise of this auto-immune condition.

Thank you to our National and Local sponsors for making this event possible!