My daughter was 2 years old and we started to notice that she started getting extremely thirsty and we were using more diapers than usual. I have a history of diabetes in my family, so I knew the symptoms. We took her to the Pediatrician and our worries were confirmed. She was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at 27 months old. We were sent to the hospital to have her admitted. She was in the hospital for just about a week while the doctors got her sugar under control and my husband and I had to get training in diabetes education. It has been a tough road, and she has been hospitalized for various reasons (stomach virus mostly) but all in all she's doing great! She turned 3 this past May and is truly our hero. She is so brave and has not let this disease get in her way of loving life as a 3 year old should. When it comes time to check her sugar, she picks which finger to test and she even picks out where to get her insulin injection. We really hope they find a cure but in the meantime, she's having fun and learning something new everyday! Next year we plan in taking her to a local diabetes camp so she can meet other children who are just like her!

Leslie Donaldson
Lawrenceville, GA