Paige’s Story

When I was 21 years old, during my senior year of college, I started noticing that something wasn’t right. I was constantly thirsty, using the bathroom far more than usual, and losing weight without understanding why.

On Black Friday, I found out that I had type 1 diabetes. Being diagnosed at 21 was incredibly strange. I had spent my entire life knowing how to take care of myself and planning for my future, and suddenly I had to learn an entirely new way of living. Insulin, blood sugar checks, counting carbohydrates, and constantly thinking about how my body was responding to food and activity became part of my everyday life.

It was overwhelming to realize there was no going back to the way life had been before my diagnosis. But over time, I’ve learned that a diagnosis doesn’t have to define the life you’re going to live. I started sharing my diagnosis online and found an incredible T1D community that has made living with diabetes feel a little less lonely and, in so many ways, beautifully fun. This community has taught me resilience, given me friendships I never expected, and reminded me that I’m never truly doing this alone. Type 1 diabetes is a part of my story, but it is not the whole story.

Paige Kelly