Touched By Type 1 Conversations: How Gary Forbes Reached the NBA While Living with Type 1 Diabetes
In this episode of Touched By Type 1 Conversations, Junior Board Member Grant sits down with former NBA player Gary Forbes for an inspiring conversation about resilience, determination, and chasing big dreams.Together, they talk about Gary’s journey from a Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis at age 19 to becoming one of only three NBA players to compete while living with T1D, and why a positive mindset can help make anything possible.
What Is Touched by Type 1 Conversations?
Touched by Type 1 Conversations is a video series created by Touched by Type 1, led by young people with type 1 diabetes & built around real, unfiltered conversations within the T1D community. Each episode creates space for honest dialogue centered on lived experience, emotional realities, and the moments that often go unspoken.
Meet Gary Forbes
Gary Forbes is a former NBA player, entrepreneur, and advocate living with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). Diagnosed at age 19, Gary became one of only three players in NBA history to compete at the highest level of professional basketball while managing T1D. Today, he uses his platform to inspire others through storytelling, mentorship, and his multimedia project, Soul Survivors, empowering young people living with chronic health conditions to pursue their dreams without limits.
Watch Episode 3
Watch the full conversation with Gary and Grant here:youtube.com/@TouchedByType1
A Few Moments From the Conversation
What does it take to reach the highest level of professional sports while living with Type 1 Diabetes?
In this episode of Touched By Type 1 Conversations, 11-year-old Grant, a member of the Touched By Type 1 Junior Board, sits down with former NBA player Gary Forbes for an honest conversation about resilience, mindset, and pursuing big dreams while managing Type 1 Diabetes.
Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at 19 years old, Gary became one of only three players in NBA history to compete in the NBA while living with T1D. Throughout the conversation, he shares how optimism, family support, and an unwavering belief in himself helped him overcome challenges and achieve goals many thought were impossible.
As someone living with Type 1 Diabetes himself, Grant brings a unique perspective to the discussion. His thoughtful questions spark meaningful conversations about sports, diabetes management, favorite low treatments, technology, and what it takes to stay motivated when facing obstacles.
Together, their conversation highlights the power of mentorship within the Type 1 Diabetes community.
Gary's story is about much more than basketball. It's about resilience, perseverance, and refusing to let Type 1 Diabetes define what is possible. From his diagnosis at age 19 to competing at the highest level of professional basketball, Gary's journey serves as a powerful reminder that challenges do not have to limit your future.
With hard work, determination, support, and belief in yourself, anything is possible. Watch the full episode of Touched By Type 1 Conversations to hear Gary's inspiring story, learn the lessons that helped him reach the NBA, and discover why he believes the next generation of leaders, athletes, and changemakers living with T1D can achieve anything they set their minds to.
Learn more about You’re Just My Type, explore upcoming events, and get involved:
Website: www.yourejustmytype.org/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/yourejustmytype/?hl=en
About Touched by Type 1
Touched by Type 1 is a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness of type 1 diabetes, supporting those impacted by the disease, and funding efforts toward a cure.
Founded on the belief that no one should have to navigate type 1 diabetes alone, the organization creates meaningful opportunities for connection through events, education, and community-driven programs.
From large-scale gatherings to more intimate local meetups, each experience is designed to bring people together—because shared understanding can change everything.Beyond community building,
Touched by Type 1 is committed to advancing education and supporting research initiatives that move us closer to a cure. Through every conversation, event, and partnership, the mission remains the same: to empower individuals, support families, and create a future where type 1 diabetes no longer exists.
You’re Not Alone
If there’s one message that carries through this conversation, it’s this:You don’t have to do this alone.
Whether it’s a full community or just one person, support makes a difference. And sometimes, that difference changes everything.
Looking for your people? You’ve found the place.
Learn more about the community at www.touchedbytype1.org/ and find your people who get it. 💜
