My Diagnosis Story

By: Jad Kassab

I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes on August 4, 2018, when I was 12 years old. I am now almost 16, so it’s been a little over 3 years. My diagnosis story is pretty unique, and it was a very memorable experience in my life. I was on vacation in Rome, Italy when I started to feel sick. I had been feeling unwell for a while before the vacation, but it got really bad in Italy, so we checked into the main children’s hospital in Vatican City. It was there that I was diagnosed, and it didn’t help that there was a language barrier in the hospital as well. Nevertheless, the doctors were very helpful and kind, and soon I was back home, with a chronic illness to deal with. At first, I was a bit lost on what to do next. However, with the help of people like my family, my doctors, and more, I learned how to deal with the condition. It’s still difficult, but it has become a lot easier now. The reason I became a YA at JDRF was because I want to do the same for others that was done for me, to help people learn about and get accustomed to T1D, while also funding research for a cure. If I could give one piece advice to anyone new to T1D, it would be to find people to share experiences with, and to learn from. While Type 1 will always be an inconvenience until there’s a cure, one way to make the most of it is to meet people and potentially make lifelong friendships.