Girls Outnumbering T1D

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We love this photo and message from our mentor, :

💫 15 years! 🌟

Proof that what doesn’t kill you DOES make you stronger 🤛🏽, negatives CAN become positives 😃, & life is truly what you make it. 🤍

Happy Diaversary, Sara. Keep kicking butt. 💪🏽💕

We’re continuing to highlight some of our amazing mentees during National Diabetes Awareness Month. Here’s Julia’s proud T1D moment:

“I was playing in an intense basketball game. I went low and was dropping fast and couldn’t feel my arms (one of my low signs). I was fouled and took my place at the free throw line. My dad (the coach) called a time out and wanted me to sit on the bench. I insisted that I stay in, and was able to sink two free throws.”

What an incredible feat! Thank you for sharing, Julia!

Up next in our Mentor Spotlight series is Paige!
Paige is a Client Success Manager who was diagnosed with T1D in 2009. During her free time, Paige enjoys drawing, playing guitar, running, and reading. When her blood sugar starts to drop, she usually likes to grab some peanut butter and saltines to bring it back up! We love her piece of advice, which is, “Remember that it’s important to take good care of yourself and your health, but don’t let it control you and what you love to do.”

seems even more important this year as we endure the global pandemic. Here’s a little reminder to take time to reflect and reset. Remember that we are all broken, but that’s how the light gets in.

Next up on our Mentor Spotlight series is Olga! Olga was diagnosed in December of 1997.
Her current occupation is Director of Sales and Operations. When we asked Olga what she likes to do for fun her response was; “learning and trying skin care products, doing my own manicure (yes, super weird but I find it relaxing and fun), and watching my children grow that’s probably the most fun because I get to see what amazing humans they’re becoming.” Her go-to low snack is a Juicy Juice juice box.
Her best piece of advice?
“Do not limit yourself due to diabetes. I did, for years. And after getting engaged in the diabetic community via social media I realized there are diabetics doing all sorts of things I was told we couldn’t do and there is also a strong support system out there that I never knew existed. I can now say, after 20+ years with this disease that “

Today is National Celiac Disease Awareness Day! Did you know that T1D’s are more likely to also live with Celiac Disease? One of our mentors, Sara, shares her story to help bring awareness: “I was recently diagnosed with celiac disease in February, and its definitely been a process getting used to the “new normal”. Not only have I had to learn a new diet, but also how this diet impacts my sugars in new ways - I have found that brown rice pasta is so hard on my sugars and makes me spike way higher than normal pasta used to! Many people never realize how much thought goes into food for a “regular” person with T1D and now, I have to put even more thought into my meals. While you can still live a normal life with T1D and with celiac disease, I wish people knew how much effort it requires on the back end and offered extra kindness and empathy when planning social events that revolve around food.” Her favorite celiac-friendly recipe is scones from !

“Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.” -Oprah Winfrey
Happy National Yoga Month! We’re reminiscing on this yoga session hosted by at our event back in February!

Back to school can be a challenging time with lots of adjustments. When you add T1D and a pandemic on top of it, the stress can definitely pile up. Whether you’re heading to class in person or online, we get it! Chatting about back to school topics with your mentor is a great way to cope and talk things through.

We are proud to present our first mentor as part of our Mentor Spotlight series:
Meet Danielle! Danielle was diagnosed with T1D on 9/19/2016. She currently works as an Aviation Dispatcher and in her free time she enjoys auto racing, airplanes, swimming, and dance. Her go-to low snack is a juice box! If Danielle could give one piece of advice it would be to turn negativity into motivation. “The truth is people will try to tell you “no”- whether it’s because you’re a girl, or because you have type one diabetes. The biggest thing you can do is not listen, turn the negativity into motivation, and prove them wrong.”

At Girls Outnumbering T1D, our goal is to help formulate valuable relationships between teen girls and their “big sisters” living with T1D. Your stories and experiences as young adults can provide support to others navigating this journey. Interested in becoming a mentor? Please send us a DM or email us at [email protected]

Only by addressing our own areas for growth can we begin to effect change. Now is the time to engage in those tough conversations, to listen harder, and to be more open to learning. Reading books by black authors is a good place to start. One of our mentors, has several titles she recommends.

Girls Outnumbering T1D co-founder Franny Levin Zucker is leading a 30 minute yoga class on Thursday 4/2. Please join!

Even when working from home, taking breaks is still important. So take a break with us at noon tomorrow when JDRF Illinois board member and certified yoga instructor, Franny Zucker, will lead a 30-minute yoga class!

We want to share this post from our friend Debbie Smith Wood. We’re sure many of you can relate.

Sending you love 💕

Happy International Women’s Day!

Discovery day with our mentors. This amazing group of women have stories and experiences to share. If you are or love a teen girl with T1D and feel life would be enriched by getting to know these mentors, please reach out. [email protected]

From baking, to yoga, to goal making - the first event had it all! Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to the start of an amazing community! We hope to see you all soon! 📸:

Love these pins courtesy of Ruth and Dottie for our teen girls attending Chicago tomorrow✌️ .

Link to register

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wegotthis-tickets-91175691949?aff=ebdssbeac

We have had requests to open the event this Saturday to 11 and 12 year olds.

If you have or know a T1D girl aged 11-19 who would like to meet other T1D girls, enjoy fun activities and conversation, and have an opportunity to be connected with a mentor, please join us!

Link to register:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wegotthis-tickets-91175691949?aff=ebdssbeac

Our friends are hosting on Saturday, February 29th for our teen day which includes interactive presentations with and Dr Jill Weissberg-Benchell. Also joining us are T1D mighty women .one.e . Make friends, feel empowered. There are still time to register! Link in bio.

There are still places available for our teen day on Saturday, February 29th. Our incredible presenters will lead both teens and their advocates through a day of active learning and meaningful connection. Sign up here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wegotthis-tickets-91175691949?aff=ebdssbeac

Friends- We have been inundated with messages from young adult women with T1D who are thrilled to have an opportunity to mentor teen girls with T1D. Their stories and experiences are inspiring and have the power to change the lives of our teen girls living with Type 1 Diabetes. If you have or know a teen girl with T1D please register them for the first Chicago event. Admission is donation-based, meaning ticket price will not prevent anyone from attending. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wegotthis-tickets-91175691949?aff=ebdssbeac

Chicago is less than 3 weeks away! The day will bring together teen girls and young women with T1D, along with professionals and advocates for a day of learning through activity and human connection. While those with T1D spend nearly every waking moment thinking about or actively managing their condition, their mental and emotional well-being can often be neglected. We want to change that. Check out mentor taking a break from traveling the world to keep things in check. Meet her and our other magnificent mentors at Chicago on February 29th.

Link to register:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wegotthis-tickets-91175691949?aff=ebdssbeac

You can rely on for a truthful look into the life of a T1D woman... Her willingness to share her “warts and all” journey makes her the perfect addition to the mentor team.
Hi! I’m Kendall and I’ve been living with t1d for 25 years. I currently live in Chicago and work for Chicago Public Library, as well as run the Instagram account . A few years ago I created Diabetes in Real Time (affectionately, DIRT 😆), a story telling initiative where participants will post every thing they do diabetes related over the course of 24 hours to highlight the seemingly never-ending approach to care t1d’s must take in order to stay alive. Aside from DIRTs, I strive to showcase what living with t1d as a woman in her mid-20s is like, both the good and the bad. When I’m not at work or posting on IG, you can probably find me trying out a new workout class, reading in a coffee shop, walking around Wicker Park, or hanging out with my family and friends”

Calling all teen girls with T1D! Registration is now open for Chicago on February 29th. Join us for a day of meaningful, interactive activities and connecting. Guest presenters include and Dr. Jill Weissberg-Benchell.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wegotthis-tickets-91175691949?aff=ebdssbeac

Is expectation holding you back? Do you find it hard to forgive yourself when your outcomes are not what you, your doctor, your parents think they should be? Dr. Meredyth Evans will be joining us at Chicago on February 29th to help us set realistic goals🎯 strategize ways to achieve them📝 address areas for growth 🌱and most importantly recognize our effort 👏

Dr. Meredyth Evans is a pediatric psychologist in The Pritzker Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. Dr. Evans provides clinical care to children, teens, and young adults with chronic medical conditions and their families within the Lurie Children’s outpatient clinic and inpatient medical floors. Dr. Evans completed her psychology fellowship in behavioral medicine at Lurie Children’s hospital, specifically conducting research and providing clinical care to children and teens with type 1 diabetes. Dr. Evans continues to have a special interest in the pediatric diabetes field, conducting research looking at the psychological and social factors that influence and promote coping and adjustment in children with diabetes and their families. #

Do you follow .one.e ? Well you should! Elizabeth lets us in on the highs and lows of life with T1D with honesty, humor and grace. We are grateful to have her on our mentor team. If you are a young adult with T1D and would like to hear more about becoming a mentor, let us know!

Elizabeth Warsop is a 2016 graduate of Southern Methodist University with degrees in biology and psychology and a 3rd year dental student at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Dentistry. She was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes on January 31st 2019 at 24 years old(!) in the middle of her 2nd year of dental school. She grew up all around the world in a constant state of change, but diabetes has been one of the biggest changes she’s had to face to date. In her spare time she loves to travel, come up with puns, draw, sing, shop, hang out with her friends , and bake. It has only been about a year since her diagnosis, but with the 24/7 mandatory commitment to the disease, she already feels like a veteran diabetic. Diabetes definitely makes every day a greater challenge, but she uses the strength it has given her and the relationships it has cultivated for her as motivation to keep tackling these challenges each day!

Because it doesn’t matter what you’re doing or how you’re feeling, T1D doesn’t take a break. While this selection of supplies and equipment helps us manage the physical burden of T1D, managing the emotional impact can be challenging. We’re here to support you.