In November, 2003 I was an active thirteen-year-old. I was involved in student leadership at my middle school, played on two basketball teams, a softball team, an indoor soccer team, and an outdoor soccer team, all while participating in a pre-college program at Sonoma State University. I thought I had enough on my plate as it was, and then I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. This diagnosis came as a shock at first, but I saw it as something that I could use as motivation for my future.
I always knew that I wanted to attend college, but did not have any idea what I wanted to do. When I received the news that I was now a person living with type 1 diabetes, I was not sad and I never saw it as something that would limit the opportunities that I would have in life. The people that helped me to understand what living with type 1 diabetes entailed were not only helpful, but inspirational. After encountering these people, I decided that I needed to be in healthcare. I wanted to help people like myself, who were learning to live with diabetes and also maintaining a "normal" life. I knew that listening to someone teach about life with diabetes would be so much easier to do if this person had experienced it first-hand. While many would not be happy to be diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and have to live with it for life, I see it as a blessing and would never want to change this special aspect of my life,
I always knew that I wanted to attend college, but did not have any idea what I wanted to do. When I received the news that I was now a person living with type 1 diabetes, I was not sad and I never saw it as something that would limit the opportunities that I would have in life. The people that helped me to understand what living with type 1 diabetes entailed were not only helpful, but inspirational. After encountering these people, I decided that I needed to be in healthcare. I wanted to help people like myself, who were learning to live with diabetes and also maintaining a "normal" life. I knew that listening to someone teach about life with diabetes would be so much easier to do if this person had experienced it first-hand. While many would not be happy to be diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and have to live with it for life, I see it as a blessing and would never want to change this special aspect of my life,