My name is Gavin Corbett.  I am 14 years old and I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes on April 24th when I was 11 years old.  It was overwhelming the first week, but I quickly realized that it was something that I could take control of.  I didn’t let it stop me from doing everything in life that I loved.  I continued playing competitive soccer, fishing, snowboarding, basketball, snorkeling, summer camps, and adventurous travels with my family.  I had great support from my parents, soccer team, JDRF, and my endocrinologist/school nurse.

I initially chose to do everything manually for the first two years.  I did manual calculations and shots.  This allowed me to learn how it all works.  It was definitely more cumbersome doing it that way.  This gave me the desire to help raise funds for more research for the cure, and/or supportive devices to make life easier

for those of us with T1D.  The first JDRF Walk after being diagnosed was almost my one-year anniversary.  As the “Corbett’s Crusaders”, my family, friends, and soccer teammates helped me raise around $8,200.

Three months prior to my 2-year anniversary my older brother was diagnosed with T1D on Christmas Day.  I had always questioned why this happened to me.  He was initially as upset as I was with the diagnosis, and had watched what I had delt with for nearly two years.  My parents struggled getting him to take his first shot that first day.  I was able to help him, and even allowed him to put the needle in my leg to see what that looked and felt like.  He then took his shot. I realized that this may be one of the reasons why I got T1D…to be helpful to my brother.  I told him it was no big deal.  By the end of Christmas Day, we had named ourselves the “Dynamic Diabetic Duo.”  He and I decided that we would both get the Omnipod Pumps and Dexcom G6’s.  It made our lives, and our families lives so much easier.

T1D is definitely life changing.  You have to be aware all day, and plan everything you do with T1D in mind.  With that said, the technology is so helpful.  T1D makes you very aware of healthy eating and the importance of a healthy lifestyle.  Both my brother and I look forward to the day where there is hopefully a cure!!

Make a donation to support Gavin and the rest of our T1D Community HERE.