Meet my hero, Ana. 

She was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in 2009 at the age of three and wears an insulin pump to survive. She pokes  her fingers  at least seven times a day for blood sugar checks and has to calculate every meal in order to deliver the right amount of insulin. 

There are many things to consider in calculating insulin dosages: stress, illness, exercise, type of food, time of day...so managing this disease can be a challenge to say the least.

One of the newest innovations in Type 1 management is the Continuous Glucose Monitor, or CGM. This device is worn on the body similar to an insulin pump and gathers a blood sugar reading every 5 minutes, providing crucial data in keeping blood sugars within a normal range.

Currently Ana's numbers fluctuate greatly and it has been difficult to predict a high or a low. These fluctations wreak havoc on the body and high blood sugars for a prolonged period of time lead to long-term complications in later years. This is why a CGM would be so beneficial! We could keep her numbers steady thus improving her quality of life and increasing longevity!

You would think such a remarkable tool would be readily available, but it is not covered by her insurance, which is why we need your help!

We're asking for the start-up cost to purchase the transmitter, receiver and the first three months worth of sensors. Any and all contributions would be a tremendous help!

For any questions/comments or if you would like to learn more about Type 1 Diabetes, please be sure to send me a message.

Thank you!!!


(This is a poem I wrote for a project entitled Collision IV, a pairing of photographs and poetry. It was paired with the photo shown above of my daughter standing in a hopscotch made out of discarded insulin pumps. Photo was taken by the lovely Breana Trigueiro.)