Meet Brittany

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• Birthday: August 10, 1990
• Family members: Roy (dad); Vanessa (mom); Madison and Hayleigh (sisters); and Nana Patsy (grandma)

When were you diagnosed with type 1?

I was diagnosed in February 2003 at the age of 12

What were the circumstances leading up to your diagnosis?

For several weeks I had been losing a lot of weight (I lost 30 pounds in 30 days). I didn’t want to eat anything but fruit, which made me even sicker; I drank anything that I could get my hands on; and I was always in a bad mood. My parents thought I was just being a teenager, but I knew that there was something seriously wrong with me—something that was causing me to vomit every time I ate and making me so mad and depressed.

How has your life changed—what do you do differently—since your diagnosis?

Since my diagnosis, my life has changed completely. I had planned for years to go away to college, but—because of my health—I was unable to do so. I always have to be careful when driving and make sure that I bring food with me in the car and check my blood sugar before I start the car. Some days I can be perfectly fine and then something as simple as a cold can land me in the emergency room. I used to play soccer all the time but I had to quit because I was unaware of when I was having a low or—if I did realize it—I didn’t want to come off the field because I was embarrassed.

What’s the best advice you ever received about living with type 1?

My doctor once told me to never let diabetes control me; I control my diabetes. I try to remember that every day, especially when I’m having a hard day and nothing is going right with my blood sugars or pump. I just remember that I have the power to control it. I find that this is very good advice, because if you don’t have that mentality, then you’re going to feel overwhelmed by all the problems that come with having this disease.

What advice or tips do you share with other people living with type 1 and their families?

Don’t EVER give up! For years people told me that after a certain amount of time with diabetes, they hit a wall and just felt like they couldn’t do it any more. I always promised myself that I wouldn’t have the same mind-set—but, unfortunately, I did. After having diabetes for five years, I went through a stage when I just wanted to give up. I didn’t care what my blood sugars were or how much exercise I got, and I was convinced that a cure was nowhere in sight. I was done with diabetes. The only thing that got me back on track was when my doctor looked at me one day and said, “You are killing yourself, Brittany.” From that day on, I decided I was going to do everything it took to make sure that I lived a long and happy life. Today, I know that we are so close to a cure and that I will see the cure within my lifetime! However, until then, I encourage diabetics everywhere to maintain good health and never give up, even on the roughest days.