What I Wish I KnewWhen I Was Diagnosed
When I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at ten years old, I didn't fully grasp what was happening—how could I? One moment I was living life like any other kid, and the next I was being poked, pricked, and handed a reality I wasn’t prepared for. The adults around me were using words like “lifelong,” “chronic,” and “autoimmune.” I was paying attention—closely. I wasn’t scared exactly, but I was hyper-aware. I knew everything had changed, even if I didn’t yet understand how.
Now, having lived with type 1 diabetes for most of my life, there’s so much I wish I could go back and tell that younger version of myself—things that would have brought comfort, clarity, and courage on the hardest days.
First, I wish I knew that my life wasn’t over—it was just going to look different. That difference would be hard at times, but it would also make me resilient in ways I never could have imagined. I’d learn how to be prepared. How to listen to my body. How to speak up for what I needed. These were skills I didn’t know I’d need at ten, but they’d serve me again and again as I grew up.
I wish I knew that numbers don’t define me. Back then, a high or low blood sugar reading felt like a personal failure. I’d wonder what I did wrong—even when I was doing everything “right.” What I’ve learned is that blood sugar is data, not judgment. It doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means you’re human, and you’re learning. It’s a constant dance, not a static formula, and there’s no such thing as perfect.
I wish I knew that asking for help is a strength. There were times I didn’t want to feel like a burden, so I quietly tried to handle things on my own. But this disease is heavy, and carrying it alone is too much for anyone—especially a child. Whether it's friends, teachers, coworkers, or fellow T1Ds, people want to support you. Let them. Let yourself receive that care.
I wish I knew that there would be people who truly understand. For a long time, I didn’t know anyone else with type 1 diabetes. It felt isolating. But years later, I’d be surrounded by an entire community of people who “get it”—who live it just like I do. Some of my most meaningful relationships have come through this connection. You are not alone, even when it feels like you are.
I wish I knew that this diagnosis would one day give me purpose. As strange as that sounds, it’s true. The experience of living with T1D shaped the way I see the world—and the way I lead in it. It led to Dancing for Diabetes, and ultimately to founding Touched by Type 1. What started as my private journey became a public mission to serve others walking the same path. I couldn’t have seen that back then. But it’s real.
And finally, I wish I knew that it’s okay to feel all of it. The frustration. The exhaustion. The grief. The pride. The small wins. The big setbacks. It’s not a straight line. It’s a lifetime of adjustments, re-sets, and breakthroughs—big and small. There’s space for all of it.
If you’re reading this and you’ve just been diagnosed—or if you love someone who has—please know this: You are capable of navigating this life. It’s okay to feel uncertain. It’s okay to take it one day at a time. But don’t forget to look up from the struggle once in a while and notice your strength.
Because you’ll find it. It’s there—sometimes quiet, sometimes bold—but always growing.
— From The Founder, Elizabeth Forrest
