Chronically Will Podcast - Type One Diabetes

On this episode, we hear from Ricky. He hails from Brooklyn, New York, and was diagnosed with Type One Diabetes in 1992 at the age of 3 and spent the next year in a coma while hospitalized. Ricky spent his 4th birthday in the hospital.Early on, he would hear medical professionals say things, such as that he wouldn't make it. Ricky struggled a lot as a kid with mean adultsRicky has become a prominent figure in the diabetic community. He is not only a survivor but also an advocate, martial artist, and father, using his experiences to inspire others. Ricky has endured many complications with diabetes, including losing full vision at one point, but even that couldn't stop him!Get to know Ricky t1dknight

In this episode we get to meet Cam @cam_simply and engage in a heartfelt conversation, where we discuss the importance of community and representation within the diabetes online community (DOC), particularly for people of color. Cam shares his personal journey with type 1 diabetes, highlighting the challenges and triumphs he has faced since his diagnosis at age nine. The conversation touches on themes of advocacy, the evolution of diabetes management, and the significance of finding a supportive community. Cam and Will reflect on their shared experiences and the impact of their work in fostering a more inclusive and informed space for those living with diabetes.

In this episode, we hear from Elijah (@elyja_), who has been living with Type 1 Diabetes for 21 years since being diagnosed at age 11. We explore his T1D journey, reflecting on the challenges and growth that have come with managing the condition over the years. The discussion touches on the emotional and psychological impacts of diabetes, the value of community support, and the advancements in diabetes management technology. Elijah shares personal stories about his experiences, the support he’s received from his family, and his hopes for a future cure. This episode highlights resilience, adaptability, and the power of sharing one’s story to inspire and educate others. Elijah is truly someone worth knowing in the Diabetic Online Community and beyond. Follow him on Instagram @elyja_

CWP host Willie Streets shares his life with T1D plus everything else.

Deanelle was diagnosed with Type One Diabetes at the age of 6, 23 years ago. His diagnosis was caught by his parent's keen eye on his growth at such a young age. Today, he is a Certified Health Coach to help others like him get a better understanding of their own bodies and the data behind it to help them achieve their health goals.His family is of Caribbean background, from St Kitts and Nevis. After his diagnosis, his mom had to get serious with their family's health. His parents were the original champions for his diagnosis and for how he would be moving forward. While in college, he studied abroad in Spain and didn't tell his mom until right before! One thing that opened his eyes while studying abroad was that he didn't have to pay for his insulin. Deanelle has no recollection of life without diabetes, but wants to continue doing everything that he can to make sure that others too can live a full life while managing it.

Quinton, diagnosed with T1D at 10 in 1998. From day 1, he has been in full control of his diabetes. But to know that his daughter's too have this diagnosis literally changed the ball game! His youngest daughter was diagnosed at 20 months, and then 3 years later, his oldest daughter was diagnosed at 5.Through these diagnoses, Quinton questioned, "Did I give this to my girls?"Although his daughters know that he's had T1D for nearly 3 decades, they do not see his diabetes as their diabetes.Today, they are 15 and 16, with the world beyond diabetes at their feet that most of us do not have. "DadCom" has all of the tricks and tips to guide them along the next chapter in their lives. About 6 years ago, he lost complete vision in his left eye (complete detachment of the retina). 2 years ago, he lost vision in his right eye, and for 5 months, he was without complete vision as a sole provider, single father. Thankfully, surgery was an option, and he regained vision in his right eye. With his mom by his side, he wasable to get back to the old Q! Before gaining the control, he has today, he used to plan his entire day around naps, not correlating it with diabetes.Follow this amazing single dad and his story of hope, love, and perseverance. Follow on instagram @ayquincy

On this episode, we get to sit down with Angel @angelverses. Angel is a hip hop artist from Ohio who expresses and voices his emotions about living with diabetes through his music and skits. People may not relate to what he goes through with diabetes, but they will relate to the music and the messages.Angel was diagnosed with T1D almost 18 years ago at 14 years young. He is the youngest of 3. Angel was diagnosed while on vacation with his aunt. His Auntie noticed his changes.In this episode, we recognize and give flowers to Angel's family of love and support.

On this episode we speak with Leah. Leah is a research assistant at Trialnet.org. but is also an MPH candidate in Epidemiology. Her drive comes from her family and friends.  She's seen T1D up close and is passionate about early detection and making research feel human, accessible, and community powered. Her allyship speaks volumes! At Trialnet they test family members of people living with T1D for risks of being diagnosed. They start testing as young as the age of 2 for T1D autoantibodies, all the way up to theage of 40 if you have direct family members with T1D. Trial Net contributed greatly to the treatment of Teplizomab, Tzield® (teplizumab) which is s a CD3-directed monoclonal antibody approved for delaying the onset of stage 3 type 1 diabetes in adults and children aged 8 years and older who have Stage 2 type 1 diabetes. It works by attaching to proteins on immune cells, helping to protect the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas from being attacked. Tzield was approved in the US in November 2022 and is the first disease-modifying therapy for autoimmune type 1 diabetes. For more detailed information, you can refer to the official Tzield website or the FDA labelDuring our conversation we speak about the misdiagnosis of adults with diabetes and the challenges in care because of the proper education and tools not being given to them. At Trial Net, instead of continuously monitoring a finger pricks, that we know the child hates, and parents hate as well, if you live with T1Dyou can just have this simple lab drawn to determine their future risks. It's a win-win for everyone! It's a simple blood withdrawal; it's not a lot. It's no more than a typical blood withdrawal from a lab. If they can get this done, you will have immediate direct knowledge of what to look for moving forward. Is my child going to have it or if they're not? Right. Visit Trialnet.org to get screened. It's 100% Free.

On this episode we get to hear from Marlaina Goedel. 14 months ago, Marlaina was fully, functionally cured of living with Type 1 diabetes. The procedure was the first of it's kind in the world, performed by Dr. Pior Witkowski at UC Med. With this process they inserted donor islet cells into Marlaina's liver and used the new monoclonal antibody Tegoprubart as the main antirejection infusion. After 25 years of living with Type 1 and having dealt with too many hospitals stays to recall and far too many times having to be rescued by her loved ones, including her daughter she no longer lives with T1D.During this episode Marlaina shares answers to every question that you could think of answering. And as Marlaina mentioned, "We did it!" She took this step for us all, not because only her own experience with diabetes.Marlaina was a pure gem to record with and her story is story of hope for everyone. To-date there have been 12 people in the clinical trial after Marlaina's successful transplant. So far, everyone is on schedule to be insulin independent like Marlaina (6 in total during the second phase already are).You can follow Marlaina on Instagram @ilovemiley94Find her on Facebook at Marlaina GoedelDonate to support Marlaina continue this new life

On this episode, we hear from Jisel. Jisel has been living with Type 1 Diabetes for 22 years, having been diagnosed near the end of her sophomore year of high school at 15 in 2003. Jisel is a wife, mom of two, and a self-proclaimed Serial Volunteer! Whether it's school events, work-related, or with her people, in the T1D community, you can find Jisel always lending a hand, foot, time, and dedication to the communities she serves. In this episode, Jisel shares everything else, plus diabetes, including how challenging it was for a 15-year-old young girl learning to advocate for herself as a newly diagnosed Type 1, and as an adult throughout her pregnancies.Jisel is not only someone you should get to know but she's someone that is making things happen in the diabetes space!Follow Jisel @jisel.p_andt1d

In Pt 2, we dive more into Krislin's new life without T1D and CKD as of June 29, 2025.Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at just 9 years old, ⁠Krislin⁠’s life was forever changed. By age 22, she faced diabetic retinopathy. At 26, Chronic Kidney Disease entered the picture. And yet, on the 20th anniversary of her diagnosis, something extraordinary happened. By age 29, ⁠Krislin⁠ was gifted the chance at a new life.Her story is one of resilience, heartbreak, and hope. So, grab your tissues and walk with Krislin. Love with Krislin. Live with Krislin. Cry with Krislin. Heal with Krislin.Her mother always told her, “You have diabetes. Diabetes doesn’t have you.” And today, that truth has never been more real, because diabetes no longer has her.In 5th grade, Krislin’s diagnosis took a heavy toll on her young body. The innocent question, “Why me?” evolved into painful self-blame. “What did I do to deserve this? What did I do that was bad?” Even at 9, classmates asked cruel questions like, “When are you gonna die?”—questions that haunted her for years and silenced her voice about her condition.She carried guilt. She felt alone. Her childhood was marked by hospital stays and isolation. For years, she didn’t speak about her diabetes, not out of denial, but out of pain.But three months ago, Krislin woke up freer than she had ever felt. And today, her heart is with the community she leaves behind—the warriors who continue the fight against diabetes every single day.You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. I know I did. Because this isn’t just Krislin’s story. It's a love letter to every person living with diabetes. To every parent, every friend, every fighter. This is for you.Follow Krislin's Journey on Instagram ⁠@krislinwins⁠

Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at just 9 years old, Krislin’s life was forever changed. By age 22, she faced diabetic retinopathy. At 26, Chronic Kidney Disease entered the picture. And yet, on the 20th anniversary of her diagnosis, something extraordinary happened. By age 29, Krislin was gifted the chance at a new life.Her story is one of resilience, heartbreak, and hope. So, grab your tissues and walk with Krislin. Love with Krislin. Live with Krislin. Cry with Krislin. Heal with Krislin.Her mother always told her, “You have diabetes. Diabetes doesn’t have you.” And today, that truth has never been more real, because diabetes no longer has her.In 5th grade, Krislin’s diagnosis took a heavy toll on her young body. The innocent question, “Why me?” evolved into painful self-blame. “What did I do to deserve this? What did I do that was bad?” Even at 9, classmates asked cruel questions like, “When are you gonna die?”—questions that haunted her for years and silenced her voice about her condition.She carried guilt. She felt alone. Her childhood was marked by hospital stays and isolation. For years, she didn’t speak about her diabetes, not out of denial, but out of pain.But three months ago, Krislin woke up freer than she had ever felt. And today, her heart is with the community she leaves behind—the warriors who continue the fight against diabetes every single day.You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. I know I did. Because this isn’t just Krislin’s story. It’s a love letter to every person living with diabetes. To every parent, every friend, every fighter. This is for you.

On this episode, we travel to Aruba to meet with Nurianne. Nurianne was diagnosed with T1D at 19. She is a graduate of the University of Aruba. Nuri worked as a full-time lecturer at the University of Aruba and was a researcher for the local Foundation of diabetes in Aruba concerning diabetes management on the island. Nurianne is passionate about helping others, as she started volunteering at the age of 12 and has been active in many social projects and programs since then. Nurianne has a special interest in children and their development.Since her diabetes diagnosis, she has dedicated herself to researching diabetes and health conditions. Nurianne aims at motivating and coaching people living with diabetes. In 2018 Nurianne participated as the representative of Aruba in the Miss World pageant and her advocacy focused on health for children and youngsters. In 2019 Nurianne joined the YLD program by the International Diabetes Federation to gain more knowledge in the field of diabetes so she can develop the appropriate skills to support others and do research. Nurianne has been a Ph.D. student in the field of Public Administration since September 2023. Her Ph.D. research is an extension of her passion for advocating for health and specifically invisible disabilities. Nurianne plans on conducting research on how communities of experience (support systems) can enhance health outcomes of people with hidden disabilities such as diabetes, ADHD, and endometriosis in Aruba.

On this episode we get to hear from Anchal . Anchal visits the Podcast from India. Anchal is 16 years young and was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes 7 years ago at the age of 9. Anchal, in most ways, is your typical teenager. She enjoys dancing, doing her makeup, and dressing up. These things are what bring her peace of mind when everything gets too much.Anchal aspires to be someone who can encourage and motivate more people like her. She wants to make life a little easier for them in any way possible. Anchal also hopes to become a clinical psychologist! She remembers how traumatic her diagnosis was and continues to be for her and her family, specifically her parents, who are also her superheroes, and how much therapy can help newly diagnosed families.During this conversation Anchal opens up about being a teen and how misinformed others are about her living with diabetes and how it does anger her at times.Anchal is someone we should all get to know because she will take on and over the world!!

Sarah was diagnosed with type 1 at the age of 7, 17 years ago, and also lives with multi drug-resistant epilepsy. She was diagnosed during a visit to the pediatrician.After diagnosis, Sarah spent her summers at camp Nejeda, later becoming a counselor, which helped foster a good relationship with my diabetes as well as instill confidence. While in college, pursuing her BS in nursing, she began modeling and wanted her diabetes to be a focal point. This is when she started advocating more for type 1. Eventually, Sarah got to take part in amazing opportunities, such as opening the NASDAQ on World Diabetes Day as part of a Dexcom campaign.Currently, Sarah is a nurse on a neuro/stroke step-down unit and loves the conversations that her diabetes tech starts. This year, Sarah will be working towards becoming a certified diabetes care and education specialist.Sarah shares how it's essential for young people to see someone openly share the good, the bad, and the ugly of diabetes.Sarah knows that she would be nowhere if not gifted her amazing family. Her parents came together with their strengths to keep little Sarah well. Sarah celebrates that she's able to wake up daily and do the things she does.The Diabetes community means a great deal to Sarah. The comfort others have with reaching out and sharing with her is amazing. The DOC has been there for her through the ups, downs, and through grief.During this recording, flowers are gifted to the Guarino family for their forever support during her diagnosis and continuing. Sarah's mother recently transitioned. She was and continues to be the answer to all of Sarah's "Whys."Get to know Sara @runawaywithsara

On this episode, we get to smile with Arianna @ariannaiannairaArianna was diagnosed with T1D at age 11, more than 15 years ago. She also lives with PCOS. Ari is mother to the amazingly amazing Finn, who is two years old now. During our conversation, Ari shares her gifts of life. This includes her sharing her new level of acceptance with newly diagnosed people by finding the diabetic online community. We also converse about grieving the life before, not only this diagnosis, but also of other obstacles we have endured. Ari is a published research scientist in cancer research and a biologist with her BS from Lehigh University. She is also a creative who loves to sew and act. As she says, she is a Jack of All Trades, not a perfectionist. In school, she also minored in theatre and apparel design.Recently, she enrolled in @Bluecirclehealth ,and this has helped her find the support team she needs.My friend Arianna is someone we should all get to know.Follow Ari on Instagram @ariannaiannaira⁠

On this episode we get to hear from Mary @t1dartistryMary is an ambassador for Eversense CGM and has been for 5 years! Mary was diagnosed with T1D at the age of 18, during her freshmen year of college.On this episode Mary invites us into her world and her truths. This includes discussions regarding the birth of her son. Although, her the duration of her pregnancy was pretty smooth and she had the best glucose results, during the last few weeks things changed drastically. Mary was given predisone at 37 weeks, which shot her blood sugar up! In turn, during her next stress test, she was told that her baby wasn't moving. Mary asked them to deliver her baby. She was denied, even though he weighed over 10lbs. The next day, she went back and they delivered her baby, and his heart rate was only 25 bpm. He had meconium aspiration, which hardened his lungs and heart, and led to him not being able to breathe. Mary also had fibroids. She lost 2 liters of blood and ended up with Sheehan syndrome (when you lose your blood and pituitary strengths) and needed transfusions. Now, all of her hormones are injured forever because of that. Throughout this conversation, Mary speaks to us! Everyone in the community needs to listen to the strength of this Queen!

On this episode, we head to the Midwest and visit Marcus in Cincinnati. Marcus was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of 15. This year marks Marcus' 25th year with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D).His diagnosis was a true traumatic experience for a young, fit athlete, and for the first few days after diagnosis, he did fall into a state of slumber depression. This was until his dad tapped him on his shoulder and said, "Just listen."25 years ago, Marcus' diagnosis was not what we see and know it to be today. He started with NPH and Regular insulin. There was no wiggle room back then. His parents were his greatest advocates during those early years.He remembers making sure every time he went out of the house to go through his checklist of everything needed. Marcus owned his diabetes from day 1. A lot of this is because of his anger with this diagnosis.25 years ago his mom was his CGM. She made sure that she understood what it looked like when his blood sugar would fluctuate.Marcus and his wife were on the Netflix series "I Do," which aired in 2020, where he and his wife were given a second chance at their dream wedding.Follow Marcus along his journey @marcouslacour

Step into the world of Jayla. Jayla is a 24-year-old Detroit native and recent graduate of Clark Atlanta University. With a career in radio and digital marketing, her aspiration is to become an influencer and advocate for individuals like her to thrive even with chronic illnesses such as Type 1 diabetes. Jayla was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes the summer before high school at the age of 14. With being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes for 10 years, she’s navigated her health journey through community and advocacy throughout many of the rooms she’s stepped in. In the end she hopes to be able to teach others, reach out to others, and inspire others. Jayla is the Miss Atlanta Clark University 2024-2025 and in May graduated Magna Cum LaudeConnect with Jayla on Instagram @indigoyah

In this episode, we journey to India to meet Khushi Ahuja, a global advocate for T1International. Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 11, Khushi shares her personal story of navigating the challenges of her diagnosis, including an extended honeymoon period. She discusses the stigmas surrounding diabetes and the critical role community support has played in her journey. Khushi reveals how connecting with others who understand her struggles has been a lifeline, offering hope and empowerment. Her family has been instrumental in keeping her at her best, providing unwavering support. Join us as we explore the transformative power of community and the importance of mental health support in managing chronic conditions. #CommunitySupport #DiabetesAwareness #MentalHealthMatters