Every day, the JDRF community is moving #ForwardAs1 to improve the lives of people living with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Meet T1D Champion, Sophie! November is special for Sophie not only because it is National Diabetes Awareness Month, but because today, November 28^th, is Sophie’s “diaversary”, marking 11 years living with T1D. Sophie has been involved with JDRF as a Youth Ambassador, Children’s Congress Delegate, and much more. Thank you, Sophie for all that you do to make an impact on the T1D community and move progress FORWARD! Read more about Sophie’s journey below:

What do you wish people knew about living with T1D?

“I don’t think people realize all the things that I always have to think about, and most times I don’t even realize I’m thinking about. For example, I wear a smart watch that syncs to my phone and continuous glucose monitor (CGM) so I can easily check my blood glucose numbers. In my class last week, my classmate said, ‘Sophie why are you always checking your watch? It’s been two minutes, the time hasn’t changed that much.’ Obviously, they don’t know why I’m checking so often, because it’s not something that most people need to think about.

Whenever I exercise, I need to think about it an hour in advance, so I can start preparing to make sure my blood sugar doesn’t drop. With food, I need to know what I’m eating beforehand, I can’t just eat when the food comes. I need to think about my blood sugar before I go to bed…there’s so many nights I’m up until 3am because I’ve been trying to get my numbers down and it just isn’t working. There’s a lot of little things that many people don’t really understand unless they live with T1D.”

Are there challenges associated with living with T1D that you wish people were more aware of?

“One of the biggest challenges for me personally is someone saying to me, ‘Oh no, you can’t do that, or you shouldn’t eat that right now.’ It’s hard for people to grasp that there is no ‘one size fits all’ kind of model, every person living with T1D is different. People group me into one category of people living with T1D, like ‘every person with T1D does this and can’t do that’—and that’s not at all what it is. It’s difficult to explain, but no two people living with T1D are the same.”

Have you ever experienced misconceptions or ignorance when it comes to T1D?

“Oh, definitely. When I wear my CGM or insulin pump on my arms where it’s visible, a lot of people come up to me and ask what it is, which has been a big adjustment. A few months ago in an airport, someone asked me if it was a nicotine patch. People tell me all the time that I can’t eat something, ‘because I have diabetes.’ Especially during National Diabetes Awareness Month but year-round, it’s so important to share the differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetes, what CGMs and insulin pumps are, etc. I can do anything I want to, and T1D isn’t a limitation. The fact that not everyone knows this is frustrating.”

How have JDRF research advancements affected your life?

“The technology advancements have made such a big difference in my life. I currently am on the closed loop system and noticed a difference right away. I was skeptical at first, but it has really helped me manage my blood sugar levels, especially overnight.”

How do you move progress forward for the T1D community?

“I’ve been involved with JDRF for as long as I can remember. My dad was on the Community Board for many years, my family hosts an annual Tequila Tasting fundraising event, and we have participated and volunteered at JDRF One Walks. I also serve as a Youth Ambassador and joined Promise to Remember Me advocacy meetings.

One of the most memorable opportunities I’ve had to move progress forward was serving as a JDRF Children’s Congress Delegate in 2019. At the time, I didn’t realize how big of a moment it was. I met with Senator Schumer and spoke to him about life with T1D, and it was great to share my story and make a difference for those affected by T1D.

Most of my time growing up, I was the only child with T1D in my school, which was very isolating. I knew I couldn’t be the only person in my area with T1D, but not seeing other people like me was hard. I tried some local support groups, but the other kids were usually older than me. So, when I went to Children’s Congress and was in a room with 160 Delegates all living with T1D, it was a huge deal for me to be surrounded by people who could relate to what I was going through. JDRF Children’s Congress really showed me the power of my story.

Since then, along with two other Delegates that I met at Children’s Congress, we’ve started a virtual support group for children with T1D. It’s my favorite thing to do, because again, I didn’t realize how many other people like me were out there. On each call, I love helping to show others that there are so many people around who understand what they’re feeling.”