Erica was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at just 7 years old. Her goal is to show that diabetes doesn’t have to control you—you can control it.
Erica lives with type 1 diabetes and resides in Tampa, Florida. She is a studio music teacher and enjoys singing, writing music, and kayaking.
My T1DM journey started when I was 6yo, that was 56 years ago. It was the time we used glass syringes, Tes Tape, Benedict's Solution, impure beef and pork insulins.
I was raised by a single parent, and while sometimes difficult, I was encouraged to do anything that I wanted to (play sports, go to college, graduate school, hike the AT, and now...summit mountains).
Now retired from practicing Pharmacy in a clinical setting I have the time to backpack and mountaineer. I am finishing up 50 state high points, with Denali being my last to do.
When I was 11, I became very sick with a flu virus, my mom thought that medicine and rest would help. I kept getting worse, drinking water every second I got, throwing up, barely being able to walk and there was this awful pain going down my entire side starting at my neck. My mom decided that we should go to the walk-in clinic and when we did I was passing out and waking back up, I could barely walk, or talk and the doctor took one look at me and said I needed to go to the ER.
Melvin was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at just 5 years old. He hopes to help educate people about the complications of diabetes and inform people about what can happen when diabetes is not properly managed.
Melvin lives with Type 1 diabetes and resides in Cassopolis, Michigan. He is a travel agent and in his free time enjoys yoga, traveling, hiking, and cooking.
Joe lives in West Allis, Wisconsin. He finds purpose in playing acoustic guitar (since age 8), biking, long distance walking, and working for the Department of Workforce Development.
Jenna lives in Beverly Hills, Florida. She finds purpose by sharing her experience living with diabetes on TikTok.
Niketa lives a busy life as an actress, acting coach and producer, but she still finds time to stay involved with the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and advocate for the diabetes community. This is her story:
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