I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 11, and I am now 23 years old. Having diabetes has had and continues to have it's ups and downs. I think that having diabetes has helped me become more aware of my health in general. I want to be healthy and having diabetes is a daily reminder for me to stay on track with my goal. I am learning different things every day from having diabetes. I have learned to cook for myself, eat a certain way, exercise regularly, give insulin injenctions, check my sugar daily, and many other things. Even though having diabetes can be a pain in the butt sometimes it has also been a blessing in disguise. Having diabetes has given me motivation to take care of myself and balance my blood sugars on a daily basis. My advice to those newly diagnosed with diabetes is to do their best to be healthy and make the best choices that they can to keep themselves healthy. With discipline, right knowledge, consitency, determination, perseverance, and strength someone with diabetes can be just as healthy and even more healthy than someone without the disease. Don't let diabetes hold you back from what you want in life, instead I use diabetes as a catalyst to further my aim of living a healthy lifestyle.

Jamil Ibrahim
Houston, TX