‘Diabetes is a roller coaster’ diabetes educators share top tips

Age of diagnosis: 17

Advice: Similar to the advice that was given to me, I like to remind my patients that they are all still normal kids and can continue doing the activities they love in life. I also like to tell them that I ran a half marathon with diabetes, so truly anything is possible.

Credit: cus

Credit: cus

Helena (Izzy) Izmirlian

Age of diagnosis: 8

Advice: Diabetes is not easy. It will challenge them but also make them braver and stronger than they realize. Diabetes is a roller coaster ride and managing it will never be perfect. If you take it day by day, you can do it.

Credit: custom

Credit: custom

Madelyn Gressly

Age of diagnosis: 11

Advice: A great piece of advice that I received and that I also give patients and families is he/she is not graded an A, B, C, D, or F based on their blood sugars. It is important to try to not get frustrated with glucose fluctuations; they do not define you.

Credit: cust

Credit: cust

Casey Rust

Age of diagnosis: 10

Advice: Typically, children and their families get very anxious about complications that could happen later on in life because of what they have seen with a different generation of people they know who have had diabetes for a long time. The advancements in our technology really have changed the outcome of a diagnosis.

Credit: custo

Credit: custo

Alison Higgins

Age of diagnosis: 9

Advice: Try not to get caught up in the big, overwhelming picture and just make the next right choice based on current blood glucose level. By focusing on the next right choice that is in front of you, you are setting yourself up for managing the big, overwhelming picture without letting it take over.

Credit: custom

Credit: custom

Justyna Zabinski

Age of diagnosis: 3

Advice: Diabetes is a facet of our lives, and although it may seem like the whole focus of it when you’re newly diagnosed, it does not define you nor stop you from reaching your goals.