My name is Carina and I am a type 1 diabetic. I was diagnosed at 22 months old and from then I have been on either insulin injections or insulin pump therapy. Because I was diagnosed at such a young age, when I was scared or in pain, I found comfort in my stuffed animals. More specifically, I adored my stuffed animal, 'C'-bear, that my great aunt made for me. To help me adjust to my new lifestyle, my parents would demonstrate an infusion site change on 'C'-bear's tummy for me. These demonstrations gave me the courage to take my shots and infusion sites.
     Now that I am more independent, I want to help other juvenile diabetics in the same way that 'C'-bear helped me! My goal is to make the transition to a diabetic lifestyle easier for children. With the help of such gracious donations, I will be creating care packages for newly diagnosed diabetic kids. These care packages will include a self-written book about 'Bandit,' the diabetic panther (I chose a black panther as the main character because they symbolize strength and triumph). The kits will also include a plush black panther (Bandit) with a toy first aid/doctor's kit.
     These care kits will allow the children to see Bandit do the same things that they must go through, giving them the strength to persevere. With these care packages, I hope to positively impact the transition of childrens' diabetic lifestyles. 

     So far I have assembled over 40 care kits that have all been distributed to children in need. I am currently in the process of assembling the second round of kits and hope to deliver them to the hospital by early May!