As an eight-year-old, the last thing you want to hear from your doctor six days before Halloween is that you will probably have to throw away all of the candy you earn from trick-or-treating. “Mrs. Collins, Emily has Type 1 Diabetes,” my doctor informed my mother. I felt devastated, because Halloween was the one time of the year where I could eat as many Reese's Peanut Butter cups as possible, and confused because I had no idea what my doctor was saying. Words like diabetes, insulin, and blood glucose were repeated, leaving me feeling like I was left in the dark. After a decade living with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), I cannot help but wonder when and if there will ever be a cure. Being an active volunteer for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and involved member of the T1D community, I am up to date with the management advancements and progress towards developing a cure. However, I feel that the general public is unaware of the exciting progression made and the serious risks of the disease.
